We are a dog-loving family and when the kids were old enough, the first thing we did was adopt a puppy. We take it in turns to walk her, groom her and (unfortunately) clean up after her. But after a while, she started barking at other dogs quite aggressively so we had to take her on walks when it was dark and no one else was around. We looked around for help and a family friend recommended taking her to a dog trainer like H&H dog so we looked into local trainers. Once she did a few classes, she was good as gold! And now that she was well behaved, I started taking her out on my daily runs which is when I realized something…
If you’re looking for a committed, consistent and high energy personal trainer, look no further than your favorite family pet! Your dog might just be the accountability partner you need to develop a lifelong habit of consistent fitness and exercise.
In this article we’ll discuss 5 fun ways you and your dog can develop a fitness routine that will keep both of you strong, happy and healthy for years to come. If you’re looking for more ways to maintain your dog’s health and keep them in shape, you might find that checking out the articles over on the Stop That Dog website will reveal some good ways to do this.
It all comes down to a simple equation:
Dog + You + Extra Effort = Great Results!
Seems easy enough right? It is!
So without further-ado, let’s jump into 5 ways you can exercise with your dog to stay in shape.
#1 – Running
While running isn’t everyone’s favorite activity, it’s actually one of the best exercises we can do. It helps strengthen and tone your legs while giving us a great cardiovascular workout. Running helps pump endorphins through our body which gives us relief from stress, anxiety and even depression. The great thing is that most dogs LOVE to run and it gives them just about all of the same benefits as well. If your dog suffers from anxiety, while running could serve as a good remedy for them, products like private label cbd for pets could also act to help relieve your dog from its anxiety. It may benefit other areas of their health too, like joints, meaning their running will be improved. They will definitely be keen to run further if they have one of their favorite bully sticks to chew on as a treat!
#2 – Fetch
A classic and a favorite. Fetch is probably your dog’s favorite activity and one that owners enjoy too, but in this case, we’re going to take things to the next level by having you do either push ups, air squats, sit ups or jumping jacks in between throws!
This will help you get a mix of different exercises in while your dog is running after its fetch toy. You can do sets of 5-10 reps alternating exercises between throws to get a fully body workout. You can also bring a pair of dumbbells to make things even more intense and to change things up.
#3 – Walk a Hiking Trail
While this doesn’t provide short intense workout stimulation like running or fetch with dumbbells, it’s a great way to change things up and to explore new environments while feeling a sense of adventure with your dog.
Dogs love new environments and nature is good for our soul, so it’s a win-win exercise for both you and your furry friend. Depending on you and your dog’s level of fitness you can choose to go anywhere from a half-mile up to 5 or even 10 miles. Just make sure you bring plenty of water for you and your pup and don’t over exert yourselves.
#4 – Play Tag
Have you ever tried running away from your dog? Impossible right?
Just about…
Playing tag with your dog is an excellent way to get a HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout in. Just run away from your dog for 5-20 seconds or as long as you can and then take a break and play with him/her. During the rest phase catch your breath and then start running again for the same length of time when you feel ready. Do this for 5-10 rounds and you’ll put your body in a powerful fat-burning state that’ll shred calories like a machine.
#5 – Swimming
Swimming is a great way to exercise with your dog because it’s low impact and gives you a great full body workout. You can swim with your dog or bring a water toy and play fetch with them for added interaction. Just make sure your dog has proper training for water and they’re comfortable swimming by themselves first.
Hopefully you’ve taken away a few nuggets on how you could incorporate some fun interactive ways of staying in shape with your dog for months and even years to come. The key is to stay consistent on a daily and weekly basis to ensure that you build the habit of fitness with your dog for the long term.
Author: Mathew Bojerski
Sources:
http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/healthy-pets/10-fun-ways-to-exercise-your-dog/
http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/6-fun-ways-to-get-fit-with-your-dog