New Year ‘Get Fit’ resolutions don’t tend to last very long. Self motivation can be difficult in the most unpopular month of the year. If you’re going to stick to it, you need to make exercise fun and you need a trustworthy partner who won’t complain about getting up early or cancel on you at the last minute. Someone who has infinite amounts of energy and who will actually be excited to follow you out of the door. Sounds impossible? Can you guess who we’re alluding to? That’s right, your loyal, loving dog.
Your dog is actually your perfect personal trainer — loyal, hardworking, energetic and enthusiastic. Here are the best ways to get fit with your dog in 2017:
Running
Dogs are creatures of habit. Once they get into a routine, whether it be a morning/after work run, they won’t let you wimp out when it’s raining outside or if you’re not feeling in the mood. They will wait by the door with their tail wagging until you’re finally persuaded to put on your running shoes. Their excitement & enthusiasm alone can often be enough to motivate you, making them your perfect personal trainer.
Top Tips for training with your dog.
- Establish a running schedule. Plan to run for 30 minutes total each day. This might include a 10 minute run in the morning and a 20 minute slower paced jog in the park after work. Or maybe a 30 minute run to fit in better with your day.
- If you replace your usual dog walk with a run, you’ll feel more responsible about sticking to your programme. Plus, your dog will also get used to the routine and remind you when it’s time to go!
- Track your progress. Keep a record of your best times and aim to beat them.
- Post a calendar on the fridge and add a sticker/gold star for each 30 minutes of running you do per day. This will reinforce your good behaviour and make you pause before opening the door to grab a snack!
Want to really give you and your dog a challenge…
Sign you & your dog up for Battersea’s Dog & Cats Home Muddy Dog Challenge
Obstacle courses, 5k jogs and 10k runs — there’s a challenge for every owner and their pooch. These long-distance runs are a great way to motivate you to run regularly and will give your exercise regime some structure. Add in the company of your dog and the whole experience becomes a lot more appealing.
Battersea’s Dog & Cats Home Muddy Dog Challenge is the UK’s first obstacle course where you can compete in 2.5km and 5km obstacle runs with your dog. You can enter as a team of humans, as a dog-and-human duo or go solo if your pampered pooch wants to sit out. This year there will be four Muddy Dog Challenges happening in Nottingham, Windsor, Essex and Kent.
Other challenges worth looking into:
Dog Jog https://www.dogjog.co.uk/
Iron doggy https://irondoggy.com/pages/organized-runs
Doggy boot camp http://www.k9control.co.uk/services/dog-boot-camp/
Other ways to workout with your dog/any dog…
Try dog walking in your spare time
Earn a bit of extra cash, get fit and hang out with adorable dogs all day — need we say more? Part time dog walking is as simple as it sounds — you arrange to pick up the dogs, take them for a walk and then return them home. A good walk means a minimum of half an hour — ideally an hour, which can be combined with your fitness plan.
Football
Dogs love football — a fact that most dog owners already know. Get your friends to join you for a kick around and explore different parks around where you live. Their incentive? Play time with your adorable pooch. Trust us — this will be enough.
Agility Classes
Agility training is a fantastic workout for you and your dog. Your dog will love taking part in the courses, which are designed to fulfil a dog’s natural instincts to jump over logs and climb steep slopes, and you will get fit in the process.
Of course, as well as the obvious fitness benefits, all these exercises are also a fantastic way to enhance the bond between you and your dog. What more motivation do you need?
Things to keep in mind when exercising with your dog:
Whatever the extent of the exercise you do, remember to build up you and your dog’s fitness slowly.
Before you start, consult your dog’s vet to make sure there are no health problems.
Do not put too much strain on your dog — remember they can’t tell you when they are tired or hungry or thirsty.
If they are holding back, their tail has dropped or their ears are down there is something wrong and you need to stop.
In summer, it is important to exercise sensibly with your dog. Only run in the early morning or evening and if possible try to run near access to water where the dog can swim to cool down.
Large breed dogs must have limited exercise until they mature — between 18 months and two years — because of the potential damage to joints and muscles.
