Summer is here and the weather is getting nicer – no more excuses to not take the dog outside for some exercise! Remember a healthy pet is a happy pet (and also means less vet bills and other expenses), plus it’s just as good for you as it is for them!
However if you’re tired of the typical walk around the block, here are some alternatives to those walks and ways to intensify those work-outs.
Ways to exercise with your dog:
- Check out local hikes that you can take your dog to! – http://www.bahiker.com/doghikes.html – One of my favorites to take mom to is Pulgas Ridge, there’s an off leash area in the middle and plenty of on-leash hiking trails.
- Find a local walk-a-thon and see if they allow pets. There’s usually a race that goes by our house and we see people with dogs and strollers!
- Woof Report recently came out with some great tips for fun games to make you exercise as you play with your dog! Check out the article here.
- Dog Sports is a great way for you and your dog to stimulate mind and body AND be social! Some of the most popular dog sports are agility, disc dogs, flyball, and dock diving (you’ll NEVER see me do this.. ick Water!!). A lot of these activities often require the owner to do running and jumping as well – they gotta keep up with us dogs! Mom and I are currently learning flyball, it’s super fun, I love balls, I love to run! Check out a list of dog sports here!
- Join a local group that does dog walking – sometimes you just want to walk and talk! Check out Society Dog as an example of a local dog walking group.
- One of the latest new trends is signing up to exercise WITH your pet! Both of these are in LA, but apparently you can get certified, and I believe there are some videos out there as well! – Thank Dog Boot Camp and Bow Wow Workout.
Whatever you do this summer to exercise with your pet, always remember to BRING WATER!! Exercising in the early hours or evening hours is often best since it’s the coolest part of the day. Us dogs and cats can get overheated very quickly, so just watch out for excessive panting and lethargy.