Daylight saving time allows more time for leisure and after the short winter days it is great to find ways to enjoy the extra hours of daylight. What better way than to take the dog for a walk after dinner. A walk around the neighbourhood for those who live in suburbia is a pleasant way to unwind after the working day and has the added benefit of providing exercise. Evening walks, particularly when the day has been hot are a great way to cool down. There are dog friendly parks in most neighbourhoods and dog owners gravitate to them. They can not only be an ideal place to exercise the dog, but also a great place to meet new friends - you already have something in common, your love of dogs. For those not inclined to walk everyday, playing a game with the dog in the backyard is certainly good for the dog. Most dogs like to chase a ball or a stick and special "throw" toys for dogs are available. If you have a very active dog why not consider joining in a dog sport. It is important that the dog obeys basic commands so the first step is to join your local dog training club - another great place to meet dog-loving friends. Flyball is an innovative dog sport. Tennis balls are loaded into a machine and the dog presses a lever to fire the ball into the air and then catches it. Flyball is generally conducted as a team sport by dog training clubs. Agility is a fast and entertaining sport that is not only a test of the dog's agility but also the owner's control. An obstacle course consisting of jumps, tunnels, see-saws and ramps is set up and dogs must negotiate the course against the clock. Faults recorded for obstacles not negotiated result in time penalties and (as in horse show jumping) the dog with the fastest time wins. Agility is a sport only for fit dogs (and owners as they run with the dogs!) and is taught at many dog training clubs. 2003#10. 4

Author: Petcare Information & Advisory Service Australia Pty Ltd