At BrightCare Animal ER pets are our priority, and that’s why today we want to talk to our pet parents about the importance of outdoor activities with your best friend.
Pets, like people, become bored if their lives aren’t varied enough. Boredom often goes hand in hand with laziness, non-engagement in family activities, irritation, melancholy, and behavioral issues. Changing your pet’s environment is essential for his mental and physical wellness.
Unfortunately, dogs in most American homes nowadays spend most of their days alone while their pet owners are at work. When pet parents return home following a long day at work, they are frequently too weary of giving the type of outdoor stimulation and exercise dogs require.
Most dogs prefer to be outside, especially after spending the day locked up in a quiet environment with little to engage their senses.
Pets need mental stimulation and exercise just like humans. We understand if you can’t bring your pets along for strenuous road trips and flights, but there are still many great things to do right here in Orange County. Trabuco Canyon has tons of fun activities that people and their pets enjoy. If you’re in the area, check out the following places:
Holy Jim Falls Trail
This trail is just one of the many available in Trabuco Canyon. The city doesn’t get its name from anywhere! Gorgeous hills and parks surround that anyone is free to enjoy. Soak up some sunshine with your pooch at O’Neill Regional Park or Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park if you have some time. Both places offer beautiful views of nature and fresh air. Your dog will be sure to appreciate a change of landscape! Just make sure to bring plenty of water and a compass or map. It’s easy to lose reception in the mountains, and you certainly don’t want to get lost!
Hempstring Orchestra at Cook’s Corner
Located on the juncture of Santiago Canyon Boulevard and Live Oak Canyon Roads in Trabuco Canyon is Cook’s Corner, a cool biker bar on the edges of the OC. The venue regularly hosts fun events like open mic and taco Tuesday. You can also catch awesome live music by local artists like the Hempstring Orchestra or Road Kill Kings on the weekends. The events are free and even if you don’t like the music, you’re sure to love the food and drinks! You can bring your kids, but we recommend listening to music from outside if you bring your dog!
Screamin Ice Cream
Forget ice cream trucks; Trabuco Canyon has an ice cream bus! The family-owned business operates out of a bus and delivers delicious, frosty treats for people from Trabuco Canyon! You’ll barely have to step outside to take advantage of Screamin’ Ice Cream. If you’re taking your dog out for some exercise, you can also conveniently go for a walk that coincides with the Ice Cream Bus’s schedule. They post their routes online, so you can coordinate exactly where to be and when to be there to enjoy a delectable scoop of ice cream.
Snakes of Orange County
Definitely don’t bring your dogs or cats to a Snakes of Orange County event. However, as veterinarians, we love and respect all types of animals, so we thought we’d share this cool event, too! On Saturday, Sept. 1st, at the Nature Center in O’Neill Regional Park, local herpetologist Steve Bledsoe will bring a few of his favorite reptiles in a display to teach the community about snake safety in Trabuco Canyon. This may be a great summer event if you love snakes… or hate them!
Bornagain Pet Salon
This summer activity may not be super fun for you, but your pets will love it! The pet groomers at Bornagain Pet Salon know what they’re doing. Whether your dog or cat needs a haircut, claw trimming, or just a bath, the workers here will be able to help. With the temperature rising to all-time highs in the middle of summer, your pet will appreciate a trim. Humans aren’t the only ones who aspire for hot summer bodies!
Why Should I Bring My Dog Outdoors?
Still not convinced that Fido greatly benefits from the outdoors? Read below; we have gathered five reasons to get outdoors with your dog.
It is critical for your dog’s pleasure and well-being to spend time outside for fresh air, exercise, and brain stimulation.
“Who wants to go out?” It’s a question that normally generates a gleeful response from your dog, replete with a frantically wagging tail and a barrage of joyful barking. Why is that? Most dogs adore going for walks! They truly require time outside for their physical and emotional health. Let’s look at the reasons below.
1. Spending time outside every day gives exercise and aids weight loss.
Dogs who spend most of their days indoors are prone to gaining weight due to the amount of time lying around sleeping, frequently out of boredom. Obesity is just as bad for dogs as it is for humans, and it can cause a variety of health issues. Regular outdoor activity keeps the dog in good shape and helps him maintain a healthy body weight. For example, border collies, huskies, beagles, and other working or sporting dogs require a lot of outside activity to keep happy and well-adjusted.
2. Regularly spending time outside exposes your dog to fresh air.
Outdoor air quality is often better than interior air quality, depending on where you live – except on hot, humid days when smog may be an issue. Otherwise, you and your dog may be exposed to various indoor air contaminants, ranging from household cleaners to chemicals that off-gas from plastics, carpets, upholstery, and other items. Unless you live a green lifestyle and use largely natural materials and cleaners in your home, your dog may still be in contact with hazardous materials. Allowing your dog to spend some time outside each day reduces the exposure to these pollutants.
3. Spending time outside helps to alleviate boredom, anxiety, and despair.
Dogs who do not receive daily amounts of outside stimulation can become restless, develop behavioral issues, and become aggressive. If we don’t keep their minds occupied or provide opportunities for them to expend their physical energy, dogs will find other methods to do so. Look for evidence that the dog is bored or needs more stimulation. Perhaps he’s gaining weight as a result of not getting enough exercise.
4. Sunlight is an excellent natural source of vitamin D for your dog.
Spending time in the sun will provide your dog with an extra boost of this important vitamin, which is essential for bone health and helps the body maintain the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio. While sleeping near a sunny window can assist, the glass absorbs some of the sun’s energy, making it less effective than being outside. Remember that too much sun can be harmful, especially if your dog is light-colored, has a pink nose, or has a thin coat. Dogs are susceptible to skin cancer.
5. Direct contact with the ground is beneficial to your dog’s health and happiness.
Everyone knows that dogs enjoy rolling in the grass or digging in the dirt, but why? One notion is that they are drawn to the earth’s magnetic automatically. Being indoors isolates ourselves and our pets from natural magnetism, which plays an underappreciated role in our health and well-being while also exposing us to manmade forms of electromagnetism, which interfere with the earth’s magnetic current and can make us feel depleted, tired, and worried. Allowing your dog to walk and roll around on the ground can help him regenerate.
BrightCare Animal Emergency
Last but not least, if you need an emergency veterinarian around Trabuco Canyon, look no further. BrightCare Animal Emergency provides a comprehensive array of services for cats and dogs in South Orange County. Our Trabuco Canyon emergency vet is always available if you need help!
