Dogs usually reflect their owners, and if you are active, your dog will be too!
My oldest, Schmidt, has been in recovery lately, so he has gained a few pounds. We are working on getting him to lose a few pounds – and for me to join him on some weight loss.
I don’t always have time to bring Schmidt for a long walk. Plus, I have to bring him AND Fiona – which is pretty hard to do if I don’t have help (because Fiona is crazy).
Here are five ways to be active with your dog for a happy, longer life for both of you!
FETCH
One of Schmidt’s favorite games is fetch – so this is a no-brainer for exercise. If you even say the word stick, he perks up and looks towards to door.
If I am in my yard, I start by running the perimeter of my fence with Schmidt to warm up.
Then, I gather all of the sticks I can find. Next, I walk to the middle of my yard, and I start throwing. I make him run to one side of the yard to the other.
I don’t get a lot of exercise with this, but he gets his heart running.
Be careful with this – Schmidt will keep going even when he should stop. If you can tell your dog is over-exerting, stop them and call it a day.
WALKS/RUNS
Walking or running your dog is the easiest exercise you can do! Schmidt loves walks, and they are a great way to work on obedience with your pet.
KAYAKING
If you have a pet that is calm, kayaking might be a good option for you! Schmidt loves swimming, so he likes to swim beside me, and jump on to take breaks.
Swimming is also really good for your pet’s body – so they don’t hurt themselves as easily!
YOGA
Doing yoga with your pet is new to me, but I have seen goat yoga, etc. – so I know if it possible! I found this article, and I have been working on trying a few moves with my doggies!
RUN STAIRS
If you are short on time, and you have stairs in your house, you should run them with your dog! Whenever I had to work long nights at my townhome, Schmidt and I would run up and down the stairs to make sure he had some type of activity for the day.
If you are being lazy, you can simply throw a toy up there too. Trust me, it works!
BONUS: Get serious about your dog’s health and get an activity tracker like this one!
How do you keep your pet active?
