How to Spend the Perfect Day with Your Dog
If you want to spend a perfect day with your dog, start by considering activities that allow your dog to explore and exercise. For example, your dog might love to go to the beach, on a hike, or track something through the woods. If your dog can't handle a big adventure because of health reasons, you can still head to the local park or even your backyard for some play time. You can play fetch, teach it new tricks, or even blow bubbles at your dog! Then, end your perfect day with a special homemade meal or treats that you know your dog will love.
Figure out how much your dog can exercise. A perfect day for your dog should probably contain some form of exercise. However, the day may not be so perfect if your dog can't keep up with you or ends up injuring himself from playing too hard. Take your dog to your veterinarian to discuss how much your dog can safely exercise.  Scheduling this appointment with your veterinarian is especially important if your dog has not been exercising regularly. How much your dog can exercise would depend on his age, energy level, and overall health status. Let your dog walk you. Any other day, you would control the direction and pace of the walk. On a perfect day, switch this around—let your dog tell you where to go. This does not mean he can forget his leash manners for a day—you are simply letting him to use his nose to guide the walk. You may be pleasantly surprised with where you end up when you let your dog choose the direction. Make sure your dog is properly leash trained. Take your dog for a run. If you have an active dog, part of your perfect day could involve taking him out for an invigorating run. A good run increases your dog's stamina and strengthens his muscles. The run is also a good way for him to release pent-up energy. For a perfect day, remember that the run is for your dog, not for you. If he wants to stop and smell some flowers or investigate something along the running path, let him do so. Go hiking with your dog. If you enjoy outdoor exercise, then consider going hiking with your dog. A hike would allow him to explore the outdoors and experience new things in his environment. Be sure to pack plenty of water, poop bags, and a first-aid kit for your dog when you go hiking. Antibiotic ointment and gauze are especially important in case your dog cuts or scrapes the bottom of his paws. If you live in an area with ticks, check your dog for ticks after the hike. Remove the ticks if you see them. Be aware that many state parks, but not national parks, allow dogs on trails. The website http://www.hikewithyourdog.com/ is a good resource for identifying parks in your area that allow dogs on their trails. Going backpacking with your dog is another great way to spend a day outdoors with your dog. Take your dog to the beach. If you live near a dog-friendly beach and the weather is nice, then a day at the beach with your dog would be perfect. On a warm summer day, your dog would love to run in the sand, play in the water, and generally enjoy the warmth of the day. Before you hop in the car and head to the beach with your dog, remember a few things to keep him safe. Being out in the heat and sun at the beach can be exhausting for your dog. Create a shaded area for him and give him plenty of water to keep him cool and well hydrated. Dogs with short hair, white hair, or pink skin can easily be sunburned. Put pet-safe sunblock on your dog's nose and ear tips before heading to the beach. Check the water conditions before your dog jumps in the water. If the water is unsafe for humans to swim in, then your dog should not swim in it either. If your dog doesn't swim well, play fetch with him or take him for a run or walk along the water line. Your dog can injure himself running in the sand, so you may want to take him on a leisurely stroll instead. Put a dog-specific life jacket on your dog if he is going to be swimming in the water. Do not let your dog drink the ocean water or eat the sand. Both the water and sand could cause digestive upset. Bring a poop bag to clean up after your dog. Give your dog a good bath when you get back home, especially if he has played in the water. The water has salt and minerals that could irritate your dog's skin. Let your dog track something. Dogs naturally use their noses to locate items in their environment. During a perfect day with your dog, let him put his 'nose' skills to the test with a tracking game. This can be done in the comfort of your own home or outside in a large open area. Think of tracking as playing a fun game of hide and seek with your dog. Hiding his toy when he cannot see you hide it will allow him to use his nose to locate it. If you are outside, hide the toy and stand downwind (wind is in your face) of it with your dog. The wind will carry the toy's scent to your dog's nose, once again testing his 'nose' skills to find the toy. Make sure your dog is healthy. What dog wouldn't love to spend time running around at a dog park? The fresh air, the exercise, and the chance to play with other dogs probably sounds perfect to your dog. Before heading to the park, make sure your dog is healthy and up-to-date with his vaccinations. Making sure he's healthy makes it less likely that he will become sick from playing with another dog or eating another dog's poop. Contact your veterinarian if you are unsure if your dog is up to date with his vaccinations. Let your dog have his own fun. Dog parks have many benefits for both you and your dog. For example, your dog gets to meet new dogs and have fun with old friends, and you have the chance to meet and socialize with other dog owners. Fortunately, there is more than one way for your dog to have fun at a dog park. Rather than playing with other dogs, your dog may prefer to explore the environment by sniffing the bushes or navigating through the trees. If your dog is older and less active, he may want to just enjoy the view rather than play. Let your dog have different types of fun at the park, as long as he is behaving appropriately with other dogs and people. Watch how your dog behaves. More likely than not, your dog will enjoy his time at the dog park. However, you should observe him closely for signs that he may not be having fun, or is being overly rough with other dogs. If he is feeling playful, he'll play-bow (hind end in the air), twist or jump in the air, and have an open and relaxed mouth. Watch your dog for signs of fear (e.g., tucked tail, tensed muscles) and/or stress (e.g., whining or whimpering, hiding behind objects or people). Leave the dog park if your dog is clearly not having fun. If your dog is being aggressive towards other dogs (e.g., pinning, excessive mounting, snarling, showing teeth), interrupt the play and separate him from the other dogs. Play fetch with your dog. What better way to spend a perfect day with your dog than to play with him to his heart's content? Dogs are social animals, and can have that much more fun when playing with their owners. Playing fetch is a great way to interact and play with your dog. Depending on your dog's energy level, you could play fetch for long stretches of time. If you are playing fetch outside, play with one of his favorite toys rather than a tree branch. The branch could potentially damage the inside of your dog's mouth. Play Frisbee with your dog. Playing Frisbee is similar to playing fetch, but the Frisbee stays in the air for longer, allowing your dog to jump up and catch it in midair. Visit your local pet store to find a dog-specific Frisbee. A dog Frisbee will have softer layers that are easier for a dog to grip. Frisbee is a great game to play for dogs who love to run and jump. Check with your veterinarian to see if your dog can handle all of the jumping required to play Frisbee. Teach your dog new tricks. Running and playing can make for a perfect day, but so can learning new tricks. Your dog can probably follow the basic commands with ease, but as he gets older, he'll need to learn some more tricks to keep his mind sharp. During your perfect day with him, give him a new and fun trick to learn, such as playing dead , rolling over, or grabbing paw. Your dog may not master the trick in a day, but he would at least have fun starting to learn it. Teaching your dog new tricks is a good way to interact with him. By challenging him with new tricks, you will prevent a decrease in his cognitive skills. Blow bubbles at your dog. Think outside the box to come up with different ways to play with your dog. One interesting activity is blowing bubbles. Chasing bubbles mimics your dog's natural predatory behavior and can keep him easily entertained. You will probably be entertained watching your dog chase after something he can't really catch. Make sure the bubbles are pet-safe. Make your own dog food. In a perfect world, your dog would be able to eat anything and everything he wanted. Even though you can't give him this luxury every day, you can indulge him on your perfect day with him. Make some homemade hamburger, liver meal, or meatloaf. You can also make him chicken and rice. Making your dog food can be time consuming and expensive, so be prepared to put in some work to this part of a perfect day with your dog. Make your own dog treats. As if homemade meat-based meals weren't good enough, homemade treats would make your dog feel extra special. Examples of homemade dog treats include homemade peanut butter chews  and frozen yogurt pops (great for the summer). Biscuits flavored with cinnamon and honey would also make an excellent treat for your dog. Muffins and doggie cookies also make great treats for your dog on your perfect day with him. Avoid certain foods. As much as you want to indulge your dog with homemade food, there are foods that you should not feed him. For example, do not make dog food that contains grapes, raisins, chocolate, or onions. Other foods on the 'do not feed list' include bacon drippings (too much fat), tomatoes, and ham (too much fat). Fortunately, websites featuring homemade dog food recipes, such as http://dogtime.com/dog-health/general/435-dog-food-recipes , will have recipes that contain only ingredients that are safe for your dog. Consult with your veterinarian if you are unsure about what your dog should and should not eat. 
Figure out how much your dog can exercise. Let your dog walk you. Take your dog for a run. Go hiking with your dog. Take your dog to the beach. Let your dog track something. Make sure your dog is healthy. Let your dog have his own fun. Watch how your dog behaves. Play fetch with your dog. Play Frisbee with your dog. Teach your dog new tricks. Blow bubbles at your dog. Make your own dog food. Make your own dog treats. Avoid certain foods. 