Exercise volume should be appropriate, neither too much nor too little

Chow Chows tend to be relatively independent and quiet, and their exercise needs are not very large. However, for the sake of the dog's health, daily routine exercise is quite necessary. Properly organizing the dog's daily exercise is important. Excessive exercise can burden the dog's bones and body, while insufficient activity can lead to unmet exercise needs, resulting in obesity or incomplete bone development. Additionally, exercise exposes the dog to proper sunlight, which promotes nutrient absorption.

1. Daily scheduled exercise should be arranged for the dog. You shouldn't arbitrarily arrange exercise based on your own wishes, with irregular rest and heavy exercise. Such irregular scheduling cannot achieve good exercise results. The exercise amount varies depending on the Chow Chow's age and individual differences. The daily walking distance for a Chow Chow should be about 3 to 4 kilometers, avoiding long durations. Excessive exercise can place some strain on the Chow Chow's heart. Before outdoor leash exercise, allow them a few minutes of free movement to defecate. During exercise, maintain a correct walking posture, keep an appropriate distance from the owner, and correct walking habits of moving too far ahead or behind, or drifting left or right.

2. Always wear a leash when going out, especially in city streets. Do not neglect the leash or let the dog roam freely to prevent being hit by cars, disturbing pedestrians, or fighting with other Chow Chows. Pay special attention to preventing biting pedestrians. The leash should not be too tight or too loose: too tight affects breathing, too loose may fall off. It should allow a certain degree of freedom.

3. Frequently change the exercise routes and do not stick to the same fixed route every day. During exercise, prevent the dog from sniffing other dogs' excrement or foreign objects, and never allow the Chow Chow to come into contact with these. Also, do not bring the Chow Chow to places crowded with people or other Chow Chows to prevent infectious diseases. Although routes should be varied reasonably, a relatively regular route should still be chosen, so that if special circumstances require walking the dog at night, safety can be improved.

Confirm the surrounding environment is safe, and always bring the leash

4. Confirm that the surrounding environment is relatively safe, and you can run and play quickly with the dog for a while.

5. Swimming in summer is a good exercise, helping the Chow Chow develop a balanced physique. It promotes good shoulder structure development and especially the chest and front chest development. To train back muscles and hind area jumping ability, activities like jumping board obstacles, high hurdles, and consecutive obstacles can be done (although few people let Chow Chows do these activities). To improve agility, bike leash pulling combined with changing directions on curves can exercise the dog's joint flexibility and agility. However, speed must not be too fast. For more safety and convenience, the owner may run and change direction to improve the dog's flexibility, which is more suitable for younger owners.

The dog’s exercise forms are diverse and can be tailored to the dog's characteristics. As long as it is reasonable, there is no need to stick rigidly to one form. Generally, Chow Chows mainly engage in hygienic and health-preserving exercise. After exercising, rest for a while and provide the dog with an appropriate amount of water. After swimming training, the dog’s coat must be completely dried. Chow Chows have relatively delicate skin and are prone to skin diseases. Not drying the coat increases infection risk. Therefore, don’t be careless—drying the coat is more important than treating diseases.