Exercise Your Dog & Get Fit Too

Inspired by Chloe & Christyn’s fitness and weight loss journey (Chloe has now lost 10.3kg!)  we thought we would outline a few simple tips to help you and your pooch get in shape for summer. Not only does regular exercise keep your dog physically healthy, it also helps improve their mental health and strengthens the bond you have with them. Throughout winter we tend to pile on a few extra kilos and as our lifestyles tend to strongly influence our pets, you may notice that fido’s not looking as fit as he was before winter hit.

Unless your dog has a medical problem, daily exercise is always recommended. However, before embarking on a new fitness regime for you and your dog we would advise a quick trip to the vet to find out the types and amount of exercise best suited for your dog.

Walking

You don’t need to go all out when exercising as the most simplest of activities, like going for a walk, can do wonders for both you and your pup. Take them for a long walk twice a day – this is not just a quick stroll around the block where you turn back as soon as they have done their business, rather something more like a half hour out and about. Apart for the fitness benefits, a long walk gives your dog the opportunity to discover new smells and you a much needed mental timeout. Take them to the local dog park and give them the chance to get off the leash and run at their own pace, rather than what is guided by you.

Cycling

Only cycle with your dog if they are fit, obedient and easy to train. This is a great activity if your dog needs more exercise than they get from their daily walks. Before you start make sure your dog can sustain a walk of around 11km/hour and that there is a bike track in your area that is safe and clear of traffic. While doing this make sure you consider your dog’s paw pads, particularly if they are running on pavement. Over time paw pads will toughen up but in the early days take it easy. Also, monitor your pace and your distance (work up to doing long distances over time). There are special attachements for you to hook your dogs lead up to your bike so make sure you buy the proper equipment.

Fetch

Fetch is a great way for your dog to work out, especially when you’re feeling a little lazy. You can however amp it up a bit and get more of a work out by getting more involved. If you have the space you can work on your tennis shots, by bringing along a tennis racket and hitting balls around the park. This will also help satisfy their natural instinct to chase and retrieve.

Be careful not to over-exert your dog and watch for these warning signs so you know when to call it a day:

• rapid panting
• drooping tongue
• hesitation before fetching a ball
• weight shifting
• staggered walking
• muscle tremors
• limping

Also, be sure to bring along some water for them to keep them hydrated and on hot summer days opt for an early morning or late evening workout session.

If you are looking for a more structured approach to your workouts, then this site has some great guides for interval training for your dog.

If your dog is overweight and you’re looking to shed some kilos too, why not think about setting up some kind of “biggest loser” type challenge for you and your pooch? Weigh yourself weekly and keep a record of your progress.

We’d love to hear how you exercise your dog!