Balancing Rest and Activity for Optimal Dog Mobility

December 3, 2023
Photo: A King Charles Spaniel smiles as he has good oral health.

Maintaining optimal dog mobility is a dance between two partners: their active play and restful recovery. Both are essential to keep your furry friend healthy and happy, and the right nutrition supports both. That's why it's important to know a bit about what happens when your dog is resting, and how to combine activity and rest for optimal dog mobility. Fortunately, we know a thing or two about that!

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The Vitality of Canine Exercise

Did you know that engaging your dog in regular physical activity is not just about fun? It’s also a necessity for their muscle strength and joint health! But it’s not only about the quantity of activity—quality matters too. Additionally, ensuring they have the best nutrition to go along with that activity is key. Making sure your pet receives essential fatty acids, like those found in flaxseed, anchovy, and algal oil, can support their physical activity by promoting better joint function and reducing inflammation​​​​.

Dog Rest and Recovery: Healing During Downtime

Rest is crucial. It’s the time when your dog’s body repairs itself, making it as important as their daily walk or game of fetch. Incorporating antioxidants from ingredients like blueberries and the anti-inflammatory properties of ingredients such as Boswellia and yucca root extract can aid in this restorative process​​​​. In the rest phase, dogs process their learning and repair their bodies. Nutrients like the antioxidants in astaxanthin and blueberries can help combat oxidative stress, while natural anti-inflammatories like turmeric/curcumin support muscle and joint recovery​​​​.

Pet Health and Wellness: Pet Mobility Through Nutrition

A holistic approach to pet health actually goes beyond just exercise and diet. It includes ensuring that they get rest and a spectrum of nutrients for all-around vitality to function and process while they’re in recovery. A blend of vitamins and trace elements may not always be present in their meals, but supports various body systems​​. That’s why holistic health involves a well-rounded diet, ample exercise, and rest and supplementation. Ingredients such as green tea extract (decaffeinated) provide additional health benefits, supporting a vigorous immune system and promoting recovery​​.

Joint Health for Dogs: Mobility’s Building Blocks

Good joint health is the foundation of mobility. Nutrients like vitamin K2 and undenatured type-II collagen are known to support bone and joint health, which is crucial for movement and flexibility​​​​. As dogs age, their joints need extra care. Adding specific nutrients for joint health, such as omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, can be beneficial. These ingredients help to nourish and maintain joint function, contributing to better mobility​​​​ and allowing periods of recovery to be more beneficial.

Encouraging a Balanced Dog Lifestyle

The key to a healthy dog lifestyle is balance. Smart exercise is about knowing when and how to engage your dog in physical activity. After activity, rest is important. A mixture of exercise, proper rest, and a diet enriched with ingredients that aid optimal joint health in dogs ensures your dog can keep on living their best, most active life. It’s a well-rounded approach to dog care that keeps them bounding with energy and ready for whatever comes next.

Canine Exercise: Energizing Movements

A dog is in physical therapy for joint repair
What are some of the top dog exercises that contribute to optimal dog mobility? We’re glad you asked, as many are good for YOU too! They include:

  • Leisurely Walks: These promote cardiovascular health and joint movement. Ideal after: a restful night’s sleep.
  • Fetch: Builds agility and coordination. Ideal after: a short warm-up to stretch the muscles.
  • Swimming: Low-impact exercise for dogs with joint issues. Ideal after: a period of rest, as it’s quite the workout.
  • Agility Training: Enhances mental stimulation and physical dexterity. Ideal after: at least a day of rest for muscle recovery.

Balanced Dog Lifestyle: Synergy of Activity and Rest

A man runs with his elderly beagle dog to maintain optimal mobility.
A balanced lifestyle for your dog should mirror their natural rhythms of activity and rest. After each exercise session, your dog benefits the most from a healthy gut and a diet rich in ingredients like those found in Bernie’s Marvelous Mobility. Omega-3s from anchovy oil, which have been shown to support joint health and muscle recovery​ can be a part of this balanced approach, providing nourishment for active periods and supporting recovery with ingredients like the green-lipped mussels rich in nutrients​​. These super ingredients are the new ingredients that bolster your dog’s body during peak activity and aid in recovery. Scientific understanding of recovery periods in dogs highlights the critical role of rest in reversing the negative effects of inactivity. During rest, the body works to repair muscle and connective tissues, counteract atrophy, and restore strength​​. When we created Bernie’s Marvelous Mobility, with its specially selected ingredients, we knew we wanted to bolster gut and joint health and aid in this natural recovery process. The antioxidants in ingredients like astaxanthin and blueberries help combat oxidative stress that can occur during periods of activity, which helps your dog in their recovery phase​​ after activity. Natural anti-inflammatories like turmeric/curcumin may help manage inflammation, vital for recovery and maintaining mobility​​. We wanted Bernie’s Marvelous Mobility to help your dog’s overall mobility live up to their potential, and we wanted incorporating Bernie’s Marvelous Mobility into your dog’s routine to support the essential balance between activity and recovery. We chose ingredients that current science shows the best efficacy, and they make the best, most delicious way for you to help maintain your dog’s mobility. Understanding the roles of both activity and rest, and choosing the right supplements is the key to helping them have optimal mobility, which means more opportunities to play with YOU! 

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Bernie’s Marvelous Mobility

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The all natural, 4-in-1 digestive health support trusted by pet parents.
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