Work and other responsibilities can get in the way of spending a lot of time at home, which can make things difficult when you own a dog and want to give it the best life possible. Unfortunately, your dog may have become overweight in the past few months and now you want to get them healthy again. It will not be an easy task to handle during the week when you are at work for most of the day, so it is worth doing a trial run at a dog boarding facility by taking them there every morning during the workweek.

Exercise with Other Dogs

One thing that your dog will be able to do while being boarded that they cannot do at home is exercise with other dogs. It is natural for these places to have an open play area for dogs to run around. This will allow your dog to join in on the fun and burn some calories for several hours per day. Getting this kind of exercise five days per week will make up for any walks that you are unable to give them. Also, since the dogs will be up-to-date on vaccinations and checked for behavior issues, your dog will be safe there.

Controlled Feeding

When you are gone for more than eight hours a day, you will likely find it beneficial to free feed your dog. The problem with this is that it can lead to them eating more food than they need. Even if you were to weigh out their food beforehand, they could eat it all in one sitting and then be hungry all day long. A boarding facility will control your dog's feeding by giving them a certain portion and at various times.

Plenty of Toys

If your dog is not too fond of playing with other dogs, you will love the fact that boarding facilities often have lots of toys for playing. The play area might have a kiddy pool, sprinklers, or even an obstacle course. This will give your dog the ability to choose what they want to do while getting exercise at the same time. These toys will also give them mental stimulation so that they are less riled up at home.

Trying to come up with an at-home plan for getting your dog back to a healthy weight can seem impossible, but taking them to a boarding facility several days a week can help to produce results. If your pet needs more advanced care, contact a clinic such as the Animal House Veterinary Hospital.