Seven exercises you and your pet need!
When it comes to exercising with your pet, the ideal partner has to be a dog. Dogs are pack animals and hence make great partners for their human companions during many activities and exercising is the great activity that a pet and a human can enjoy together. Also since dogs are hunters in the wild, they have a lot of stamina to keep up, inlcuding the smaller dog breeds. Here are a seven ideas on how pet owners and their canine companions can make the most of their time together while getting great exercise in the bargain:
1. Walks
When most people are either feeling listless in the morning or feeling stressed before rushing off to work, a quick 10 to 25 nimutes of brisk walk with the dog is a great start to the day. Multiple small walks per day with the pet is a great idea for the aged or the ailing when long walks are not feasible.
2. Weekend Treks
Dogs love to explore and a great way to unwind during a weekend is to get out of the house with your dog, some savory sandwiches, dog food and drinking water. Enjoy the outdoors with your canine buddy as you both manouver the terrain while taking in the sights and fresh air. Here your pet can be off the leash and both parties can be more free spirited than on the city streets.
3. Frisbee or Ball throwing
If you have a dog which goes crazy for the ball, you can develop your own catch and throw games and with extremely keen dogs (like the border collies) a game of frisbee throwing and fetching can be good fun while getting some great exercise in the backyard or at the beach.
4. Rollerblading
For those enjoying the thrills of rollerblading, you can train your dog to go along with you. Sidewalk rollerblading, with your dog pulling at the leash can be a fantastic experience as the dogs always enjoys a fast run. This activity requires some expert handling from the owner's side but totally worth the learning curve for both pet and owner! Eskimo and other speedy dog breeds love this activity with their owner.
5. Swimming
All dogs are natural swimmers, so jumping into a pool or getting into the surf can be a great activity for both owner and dog. Some people have even managed to train their canine friends to stay steady on a surfing board. In summers swimming and surfing is a great way to cool off!
6. Jogging
Because of the dogs' staying power, all breeds (even some of the smaller varieties like toy poodles) can make for great jogging and running companions. They can go for long distances and time with their owners and not get as exhausted as their human counterparts. Some training athletes have found a great friend and coach in their dog as they are always willing to get up and come for the long run.
7.Cycling
Cycling with a dog is also fun, provided the owner is careful not to over exhaust the pet by speeding beyond a certain limit. Dogs will not slow down as they always want to please their owners, so it's the owner's responsibilty to know how his/her pet is faring along. With slow and steady speed, both owner and dog can cover long distances and return home tired and happy.
People are changing or trying new lifestyles and many want their pets to be part of what they are doing or how they are spending their time. Doing yoga with a pet is gaining popularity in many places and it seems its doing the pets and their owners a whole lot of good! Climbing stairs with a dog and playing tug with it inside the house can also make for simple but effective exercise for both parties.
