7 exercises that will keep you and your dog fit together
We love our walks at The K9 to 5 Club because the fun our dogs have is infectious, so we really believe that exercising and playing with your dog vastly improves your relationship with your four legged friend. Did you know that dogs learn control and discipline through play, and regular exercise means your dog is less likely to have behavioural problems, will be less bored, and will become calmer and easier to live with? It will also keep you mentally and physically healthy too and you don't need to take up marathon running to do it! there are lots of other ways to keep you and your dog fit and stimulated.
Here are 7 suggestions:
Walking: we believe this is the best form of exercise for everyone but our tips are: enjoy and engage on your walk too, turn off your mobile phone, don't go your normal route, explore and occupy the time by playing retrieval games and hide and seek with your dog.
Hide and Seek: keep your dog on its toes by walking in one direction in the park and just when your dog is ignoring you run in the opposite direction without calling them and watch how fast they run to catch you up! If they haven't noticed you running off you can call them from a safe distance. Repeat endlessly. The beauty of this game is that it slowly teaches your dog never to stray out of your sight as they think you are unpredictable and may run away without them!
Chase: alternate between you chasing your dog or your dog chasing you. Use a toy and make an exciting game of this, but remember the toy belongs to you, don't let your dog control i.e. hogg the toy. This will get your blood pumping!
Circuit training for you: you can build a circuit training course in your garden with your fitness equipment. Walk through the course first with your dog on the lead telling them to sit at each station. Then with your dog off lead start by running to the first station with your dog and get them to sit while you do the exercise for that station. Do one minute and then run or walk with your dog until it is time to go to the next station. If your dog runs off, then call them back when you have finished your current station, and start walking/running with them again before the next station.
Circuits for your dog: circuits can be for dogs too! put up a dog walk (set up a wide balance beam), a soft collapsable tunnel (you can get them from Ikea), several bar jumps, a couple of tyres suspended in a frame, a series of poles (weave poles) and a small table or platform and your dog (and your children) will love it! Completing the course with you is great bonding, and gives dogs confidence and helps them focus. You run around the course with them directing them through the obstacles you choose. It is not just a fitness skill foryour dog but also an exercise in how well you and your dog communicate, so that you can get your dog to take the obstacle you want, rather than the easiest one.
Fetch: throw a toy for your dog and race to pick it up before him. Ask them to drop it (or have another one at the ready to throw) and do it all over again - you will probably be exhausted well before your dog will be!
Abdominal Exercises: If your dog is great at retrieving you can lie in the sit up position and throw a toy for them when you curl upwards. You can do this every time your dog brings its toy back, which will mean lots of tummy crunches for you!
Enjoy your exercises!!
Just some notes to consider:
Little dogs with short legs won't be able to achieve the same as big dogs with long legs - find an activity that your dog is capable of and enjoys.
Take back all toys at the end of your game. You own the toys not your dog.
Don't rip a toy out of your dogs mouth and don't make dropping a toy a bad thing. Either give a treat or throw the toy again as a reward for dropping. For dogs that are not so good at dropping have a backup toy in your pocket. Show them the back up toy, ask your dog to drop the toy in its mouth and then throw the back up. While your dog fetches the back up you pick up the original toy.
Remember your dog has a fur coat on so do this exercise out of the heat. Morning and evening times are best.
Your dog needs lots of water after exercise.
If your dog shows signs of heat stroke get them to the vet immediately. The signs are: Panting excessively or hyper-ventilating, tongue/ gums turn dark red, inability to stand upright or lying listlessly.
