How to keep your dog in shape – walks and exercise for a Caucasian Shepherd

The Caucasian Shepherd dog is a large dog that requires movement as all dogs, but not intense workout or running. Often owners of the dogs we breed ask us about how much exercise is good for them and if they can take them to long walks. We covered this topic of keeping your dog in shape in the following article, hope it helps!
Short walks or play sessions
If you keep your Caucasian Shepherd in an apartment or you have a really small yard, most probably your dog doesn’t get the movement he or she needs. It is very important to take your puppy out for walks from an early age, both for his health, digestion and bone formation, and also for his social side.
Taking walks in the neighborhood or to a nearby park a few days per week is enough.
If you have a larger yard or outdoor space where your dog has plenty on territory to play, run and protect, then you can use this space for activities. There are plenty of things you can do with your dog in no longer than half an hour per day, from playing fetch to teaching him to sit or stay, playing frisbee or hiding treasures and asking for him to find them.

Long walks
Long walks can be fun if you live close to the mountains and you like to hike a lot. However, be mindful of hot summer days, Caucasian Shepherds don’t deal very well with heat. Also, don’t strain the dog for full day hikes, take him slowly to shorter walks and see his level of energy and enjoyment. It is important to respect his rhythm and not make him push himself to make an effort beyond his body condition.
Always take water with you for the dog and be mindful of its guarding instinct and encounters with other animals.
Dog shows
A great activity and also a great opportunity to exercise is participating in dog shows or dog competitions. When performing in front of the jury, the dogs have to do a little fast pace walking or slow running in a circle, so doing that and training for that is great exercise.
Going to a couple of such events per year can bring great benefits both for your dog’s health, his socialization and your bonding together.

A good diet
Of course that the food is a crucial aspect of your dog’s health and body shape. It is best to opt for a good quality dog food or cook for your dog following vet recommendations. Please be mindful of overfeeding your Caucasian Ovcharka, they really suffer if they are overweight. They should have a fixed amount of food daily according to their age so that everything goes well.
Laziness
There are episodes of laziness in dogs, especially if they are kept for a long time indoors with little to do, no outdoor walks and nothing to use its guarding instinct for. It shouldn’t surprise you if your dog becomes lazy or sad when all the activity is not accessible to him or her. Imagine how it would be for you to spend most of your days indoors, alone with nothing to do.
These are the activities we suggest you take into consideration to keep your Caucasian Shepherd dog in shape and to avoid it become overweight. Hope it was useful!