With Spring officially here, do you find that you’re not eating so much hearty food and that you’ve started to move more? As the temperature continues to increase and we have more sunny days, you’ll see more runners and walkers out and about, with and without their canine friends. If you have a furry friend, I’d encourage you to incorporate some canine fitness into your own fitness routine as there are many benefits to both.
What is Canine Fitness?
When you think of fitness in general, do you think about just physical fitness or do you have a more holistic thought? Canine fitness, just like human fitness, is more than just being physically fit. It encompasses our mental, emotional, social, and physical well-being. Here is a great blog that breaks down each type.
Canine Fitness Basics
Since physical fitness impacts so many areas of our lives, as well as our pup’s life, it’s important to keep the basics in mind. When it comes to canine fitness, the basic strategy is the same for ourselves and our pups:
- Provide a healthy diet
- Engage in lots of regular activity
- Burn more calories than you eat
- Keep moving throughout your life
While these are the basics to keep in mind, it’s also important to take the individual, person, and pup, into consideration. For instance, a husky needs a lot more exercise than a basset hound and of course, a husky with impaired vision may not be doing as much running as a husky with great vision. Just as you take your own personal history and abilities into consideration, be sure to do that for your canine friend, too!
Canine Fitness Activities
When you’re determining what activities to do with your dog, there are several things to consider. Below, I’ve included two to get you started.
Hound Type
Some dogs are sight hounds, some are scent hounds and some are attention hounds. Find out what activities suit you and your pup the best.
Exercise Preference
Find out what type of exercise your dog loves to do. Is he a runner, a sniffer, or a couch potato?
If you’re not sure what your dog likes, working with an animal communicator can help your dog to express his individual needs and preferences.
He might express that he likes:
- Taking a long walk sniffing along a nature trail
- Running a 5K
- Hiking a mountain trail
- Dog Sledding
- Swimming
- Nose work
- Obedience
- Agility
- Dock diving
- People watching
- Squirrel watching
- Frisbee
- Fetch
Try something you both love so you both get all of the benefits of it! Remember that no matter what type of physical exercise you choose, you should keep your pup out and active as they age. A dog that engages in age-appropriate exercise will stay healthy longer than one that spends time on the couch.
Canine Fitness for the Mind
Throughout their active years and well into old age, dogs enjoy stimulation for their mind and their senses in addition to physical exercise. Creating ways to engage your dog through enrichment activities that they can enjoy even on a rainy day will make their life feel full. These might include:
- Puzzle games
- Volunteer therapy work
- Hide and seek
- Grooming
- Chew toys
- Bird watching
- Visiting friends
The mental and emotional health of our dogs is just as important as their physical health. Allowing outlets for energy helps them to rest better. Allowing them outlets for their curiosity and natural behaviors reduces the risk that they will develop anxiety and unwanted behaviors. Keep them busy? Keep them happy!