Reader\'s Digest AU NZ 03.2020

Simple Companions

Low-maintenancebreedscomeinallshapesandsizes

PETS

VETERINARIANDRKATRINAsharesherexpert

adviceaboutlow-maintenancedogandcatbreeds.

EXERCISEMosthealthydogsneeda certainamountof

exerciseeverydaytokeepthemphysicallyhealthyand

mentallystimulated.Conversely,catsrarelyreceiveany

sortofformalexercise,buttheycancertainlybenefit

fromgeneralactivityandenergeticplay.

Greyhoundsareoftenassumedtoneeda lotof

exercise,whereastheyaremorelikelytobecouch-

potatoes,happywitha decentregularstroll.Working

breeds,suchaskelpiesandbordercollies,werebred

torunlongdistancesandrequiredailyexercise.

Theycanbecomeboredanddestructiveif theydon’t

receiveenoughstimulation.Dogbreedsrequiringlittle

exerciseincludeChihuahuas,Frenchbulldogs,pugs,

greyhoundsandMaltesepoodles.Catbreedsthat

preferlittlephysicalactivityincludePersians,ragdolls,

birmans,exoticshorthairsandScottishfolds.

ACTIVITYANDENERGYDifferentbreedsofdogs

andcatshavedifferingenerg ylevels.Somebreeds,

whilenotrequiringa lotofactualexercise,are

nonethelessmore‘active’thanothers.Activepets

generallyrequiremoreattentionandcanbehigher

maintenance.Peopleoftenassumethatlargedogsare

BYDrKatrinaWarren

Ourregularpet
columnist,
DrKatrinaWarren,
isanestablished
andtrustedanimal
expert.

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18 march 2020

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