“Exercise is essential for all dogs—it helps keep them fit, and is really important for their mental health too, so walks, training, and playtime should be part of every dog’s daily routine. You can also shake things up a bit for them by trying activities like swimming—it’s great exercise for them and can be especially good for dogs with stiff or painful joints. Just be mindful that some places are much safer for a doggy dip than others so pick your spot carefully," PDSA Vet Nurse Shauna shared some great ideas about having more active fun with our dogs.

"Joining a local agility or flyball class, or even trying yoga with your dog can be a great way to mix things up! Whichever activity you bring into your dog’s life, just make sure that they enjoy it, are not being over-exercised, and that it is positive and fun!” she said.

According to the PDSA, every dog will have different energy levels. These depend on their breed, age, health, fitness, and even personality.

"While there is no such a thing as a lazy dog, some definitely need more activity than others! Your dog should determine the ideal amount of exercise needed. If they seem really tired, stop the activity, let them rest, and consider shortening the duration next time. The amount of exercise is less important than the quality and variety of the exercise," the pet health pro explained to Bored Panda.

Interestingly enough, dogs and humans have similar social structures. That's why we live so well together, PDSA representative Shauna pointed out. "Studies have shown that dogs are amazing at reading human body language, including facial expressions, and can usually tell how we are feeling. They will also take cues from us about how to respond to situations—if we are worried about something, our dog will know we are worried but won’t understand why, so might feel unsettled too," she noted what the bond between us and our canine pals looks like.

"Therefore, an anxious owner may unintentionally make their dog anxious, because dogs are closely bonded to us and feel what we feel. However, pet owners may subconsciously choose a pet that mirrors their personality—an outgoing, active person may choose a bouncy, high-energy dog to suit their lifestyle, which would, in turn, seem as though the dog ‘takes after their owner.’”

Bored Panda was interested to learn more about how we ought to approach training our dogs. For instance, we were curious about when it's best to teach our pets how to behave properly.

“Most owners envisage their puppy growing into a well-behaved adult dog, but it can be difficult to know where to start!" Vet Nurse Shauna said. "Dogs of any age will enjoy training, as long as it is positive and reward-based, there is never a wrong time to start. The first three things a puppy or young dog should learn are to sit, where to go to the toilet, and to come back when called. This will start building a foundation so you can teach other aspects of doggy-etiquette—but remember; consistency and reward are the keys to success!"

The PDSA gave us some great news that, yes, it actually is possible to teach an old dog new tricks, despite the adage. There are some caveats, though.

"It might take a little bit longer than a puppy who hasn’t already developed any undesirable habits. Training should remain the same for a pooch of any age—this should be rewards-based and positive, but they might need shorter, less intensive sessions. Learning new things helps keep the brain healthy and active so older dogs can and should learn new tricks! It’s also important to have regular training sessions for pups of any age to help them remember what they’ve learned." Meanwhile, here's a link to the PDSA's advice on dealing with unwanted behavior in dogs.

The r/WhatsWrongWithYourDog subreddit has been going strong since 2015. In fact, they’re celebrating their 7th birthday on August 10. (If you’re reading this after that date, we’re sending our best regards to you from the past! Spooky, isn’t it? Thankfully, we know that whatever happens in life, one thing’s for certain: we’ll always love dogs.)

The subreddit also recently passed the 2-million-member mark, and it’s a huge milestone when you think about it. It’s been a lot of fun following the online group’s progress over the years, and we’re glad more and more people are giving their canine content the attention it deserves.

Before you jump right in and start sharing adorable pics that’d make anyone wag their tail with you, you’ve got to be aware of some of the rules that the ‘What’s Wrong With Your Dog?’ community is asked to follow.

For instance, there are to be absolutely no emojis in the titles of the post or in the comments. We know, we know, emojis are darn great. But this particular rule is in place to prevent people from causing massive waves of spam.

What’s more, you should avoid reposting something from the past month. You also shouldn’t repost the top pics of all time. Try to be original and fresh with your content.

Despite this being a canine-focused subreddit, the moderator team kindly asks people to focus on the theme of the subreddit. The posts are supposed to be about dogs ‘malfunctioning.’ If your dog is ill, injured, or has passed away, this isn’t the place to talk about it: there are other subreddits and online groups where you can feel heard.

This way, the sub maintains a pure and undiluted flow of feel-good content without veering off course. Also, pics of dogs acting normal aren’t allowed. Derpiness and silliness are allowed; mundane doggos (no matter how cute) belong elsewhere.

Even though your dog might be chunky yet funky, it’s incredibly important to help them slim down a bit. Being overweight brings about with it a ton of health issues and severely impacts your pet’s quality of life. There are other ways to show your doggerino that you love it, besides feeding it your table scraps and letting it nap on your lap all day long.

Getting plenty of movement and eating a healthy diet are essential for dogs (and for their owners, too). If you love your pet—and we know that you do—you’re responsible for going the extra mile by sometimes literally going the extra mile.

Dr. Earnie Ward, who created the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, previously explained to Bored Panda that obesity is the biggest health threat to dogs, as well as cats.

“Dogs suffering from obesity have a much greater risk of developing arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. Studies also show that dogs with obesity live about 2.5 years less than those at a healthy weight,” he warned.

“More recent research proves that overweight or dogs with obesity have a lower quality of life, as reported by their pet parents. To put it bluntly, the fact is that dogs with obesity aren't able to live and enjoy their best lives, and we must do better.”

The animal health expert put it very bluntly that obesity is a disease. “A veterinarian, I swore an oath to prevent animal disease and suffering. My goal is to prevent pet obesity and I've spent the last twenty years researching and teaching nutrition and weight loss methods to committed veterinary professionals and concerned pet parents,” he said that his mission in life is to help pets live healthier, happier lives.

The vet compared dogs and people, and said that we’re all very similar: both are omnivores and greatly benefit from aerobic activities.

“For dogs and humans, the weight-loss equation is about 60% to 70% diet and 30% to 40% physical activity. For cats, a species with different physiology and metabolism, it's about 90% diet and only 10% exercise,” he explained to Bored Panda.

“The first step toward a healthier weight for your dog is to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. They will first determine your dog's Body Condition Score (BCS), establish target weight loss goals and ideal weight, and calculate the number of calories you should feed each day.”

He continued: “Your veterinarian will also make sure there isn't an underlying medical condition or disease causing the weight gain and that it's safe to begin an exercise program. In general terms, a dog (and their pet parent) needs about 30 minutes of aerobic activity each day.”

According to Dr. Ward, going for a walk is awesome: it’s efficient, quick, and easily accessible. “I prefer it to most other exercises because that's what dogs were designed to do best and most naturally. Plus, it's free! When walking, be sure to use a walking harness and not a neck or choke collar to prevent injury to the trachea or windpipe region of the throat and neck,” he told us.

The vet noted that dogs can lose roughly (or is that ruffly?) 3 to 5% of their total body mass per month safely. So long as the owner adheres to an exercise program and diet that’s supervised by a vet. Meanwhile, younger and more active dogs can safely lose a bit more weight each month. “The most important thing to do is to monitor the weight each month. If your dog isn't losing the appropriate amount of weight in three months, you need to change the strategy,” he said.

“Weight loss is a dynamic and adaptive process, and dog parents must constantly evaluate what's working or not. The great news is that, unlike cats, most dogs can reach their target weight within six to nine months. Cats can only lose about a half-pound per month, meaning losing four pounds will take about eight months if all goes well.”