Beat the Weather with an Indoor Dog Run

Dogs love nothing more than a rowdy romp outside with a beloved human companion, chasing frisbees and making friends with other dogs. Unless you live in sunny San Diego however, you may find that the weather outside is not always friendly, and the climate and change of seasons may force you and frisky Fido indoors for much of the year. Such a lack of exercise can lead to serious physical and emotional duress, and puts your dog at risk of anything from simple restlessness and poor muscle tone to obesity and bone disorders. If you feel that your dog is not getting the amount of exercise he or she needs to stay healthy, visiting an indoor dog run may provide your pooch with a much needed alternative to the great outdoors.

While the thought of exercising indoors may seem a bit odd for a dog used to playing outside, the average indoor dog run is built very much with the outdoor canine in mind. Monster Park, the American SPCA's massive Manhattan indoor dog run, represents an impressive example. The floors are padded to ease the stress on doggie joints, while light boxes and an advanced air conditioning unit recreate the conditions of a pleasant, sunny day. All 2,000 square feet of the expansive indoor dog run is also sound-proofed, in order to prevent excessive echoing that might make dogs uncomfortable. Not every indoor dog run may have the resources to recreate such an ideal environment for dogs to play in, but most make the utmost effort to construct a setting that is both comforting and a successful simulation of an outdoor play space.

Such ideal conditions may tempt you to grab your pup and run to the nearest indoor dog run. However, before visiting one of these establishments, it is important to make sure that your dog is suited to the environment he or she will be introduced to there. If your dog is particularly large or small, be sure to keep a close eye out for any overcrowding or roughhousing: while an indoor dog run might be very large, it cannot provide the wide open space of a park or field, and dogs can be hurt if the space is filled past capacity. In a similar vein, be sure that your dog behaves moderately well with others before bringing him or her to a dog run. A smaller space may mean more interaction, but this can mean trouble for a pup who is not used to playing with large groups of other dogs. If you practice common sense, and keep an eye on your dog however, there is no reason why a trip to the indoor dog run cannot be a wonderfully rewarding experience for all involved, especially on a day when one might otherwise be stuck alone in the house.