Your dog’s fitness is just as important as yours and healthy dogs will want a routine that gives them lots of ways to play and interact with you. It helps puppies maintain their energy and builds a strong immune system for dogs at any age.
However, some breeds don’t stop when they’re tired, so you have to think about their limits and not over-exercise them.
“Out of all the dogs that we see, I would say about 60% of dogs are out of shape,” explains Kim Bissing, Owner & Head Dog Trainer of Beyond the Leash.
Getting out your dog’s energy and keeping them healthy is vital. But overdoing it is easier than you think.
First, don’t stick to repetitive exercises. Since they use the same muscles and joints, it can lead to strain or imbalances over time, causing their body to weaken in those areas. Instead, switch up your routine and work through all the muscle groups.
“What we’ll do is make a little schedule and just try to do a Monday, Wednesday, Friday is a nice walk. Tuesday and Thursday might be more stretches or getting your dog’s body to move in a different way,” Bissing told Ivanhoe.
Just like us, dogs need a warm-up! Sit-to-down and sit-to-stands are a great way to engage their muscles.
“Little light things like stepping their front feet up onto a block, and slowly moving them around with a treat just from side to side. Moving their head up and down with a treat,” explains Bissing.
Finally, let your dog have some rest! After a long run or intense training, make sure they recover by doing some cool-down stretches and massage their muscles.
If you want to keep track of just how much your dog is exercising, there are even fitness trackers made for Fido. Just like a Fitbit or smartwatch, it will count your dog’s steps, track its heart rate, monitor its sleeping habits and it’s also a GPS, just in case you need to find Fido. There are several different brands and range in cost from $50 to $250.