4 Fun Ways to Exercise with Your Dog

Are you getting bored with your daily walking routine with your dog, and you need something new to do to keep up with your active dog? Well, don’t even think about giving up on that exercise; both you and your furry friend need it.

As it turns out, your canine companion has a lot of energy that needs to be used up, but that energy can actually be pretty contagious. Studies show that dog owners are 34% more likely to get the recommended amount of daily exercise than people without dogs. So get out there, and go burn that energy with your canine friend.

Here are five fun ways to exercise with your dog. Enjoy!

1. Bring Your Dog with You to the Water.

Most dogs absolutely love water, and it gets them really hyped up and excited. Like I said before, that immense burst of energy is important, because it will pass on to you too. Chances are, if you bring your dog with you to the lake or the beach, you’re going to be doing a lot more than just sunbathing, and building sand castles. That’s a good thing.

Similar to humans, the water is really good for the joints, or easing up the load on the dog if they’re obese, or dealing with a healing an injury or arthritis. An added bonus, right? So why not test it out?

Try taking your dog for a swim, and maybe bring a ball. Your dog would love it, and the two of you could enjoy the nice, cool water together.

Don’t feel like going out for a swim, but you’re willing to spend some time by the water? Test out that arm of yours, and play a game of fetch. It’s a more relaxed form of exercise for you, but your pup will enjoy the change of scenery, as well as getting the chance to play in the water.

One thing to keep in mind though, when getting into the water with your dog, is that not every breed is built for swimming, or spending too much time in the water. Some breeds that should not spend too much time in the water, and will find more difficulty with swimming, and staying afloat are the ones with shorter legs: Bulldogs, Pugs, Greyhounds, and Basset Hounds. Some breeds that are natural swimmers, because of their longer legs and tails are Labradors, Retrievers, Setters, and Spaniels.

2. Pull Out That Old Soccer Ball.

If you’ve had your dog for a bit, you know that dogs tend to be pretty obsessed with balls. They chase after them, chew on them, and even try to play fetch on their own if they can figure it out. Why not turn it into a friendly game of soccer with your furry friend?

It’s just like playing fetch, and letting your dog have fun chasing after the ball, but this way, you’re getting in some important exercise too, and not throwing out your arm.

There are different ways to teach your dog how to play soccer, but I recommend just going with the nice and easy technique of just kicking the ball around. Once your dog notices the ball moving around so much, that must-catch-ball obsession will kick in, and he’ll start chasing after it, and trying to snatch it away from you. It will be loads of fun for both of you.

If you’re worried about your dog getting a bit too excited, and destroying your soccer ball, and you don’t have an old one laying around somewhere, one option is the giant tennis balls for dogs. Chances are that your dog is already used to playing fetch with a tennis ball, so it will look familiar to the dog, and it’s made to be durable for use with dogs.

3. Start Hiking with a New Adventure Companion.

Hiking with your dog is just like taking him for a walk, but with new scenery, and more adventure. Based on how much they like to go sniffing around, dogs are natural explorers; they want to see, smell, mark, and maybe even taste, everything that’s out there. Taking your dog hiking with you gives them the opportunity to do all of those things, and they make great adventure companions.

Going on hikes with your dog is a nice way to change up the regular walking route, but they do tend to be longer than the amount of time you would spend taking your dog for a normal walk, and therefore, you’ll need to bring a few more things with you.

Your dog needs his essentials just like you do on a hike. This means you need to bring some doggie snacks (not just treats), water, and probably a bowl to put it in along the trail. Dr. Marty Pets has some great food options, and supplements, as well as tips to keep your dog healthy for when you’re going to be doing some high-intensity exercising with your dog, like doing a long hike.

Some other things to consider when preparing for your hike are whether or not the trail allows dogs on it in the first place, or other rules they might have about dogs, and then things that you might want to watch out for like poison ivy, and ticks. Make sure that your dog is up to date on his shots and medicines, and you could even consider getting little doggie shoes in case there might be sharp rocks, or hot ground that could burn, or tear up his paws.

4. Take Laps on the Stairs with Your Dog.

If you’re stuck inside due to weather, or really don’t feel too excited about any of the other ideas, running up and down the stairs with your dog is a fun and easy workout that can be done right at home.

It’s simple, but it’s still a great way to get your dog to work out some energy when going outdoors isn’t an option. If your dog likes to follow you everywhere you go, or likes to think that going downstairs means being one floor closer to going outside to play fetch, then you can just start heading down the stairs at an easy pace, and your dog will either trot along beside you, or race you down the stairs.

The fun part is when you get to the bottom of the stairs, and you just head right back up the stairs. Your dog might get confused, but he’ll likely follow you back up the stairs anyways, and you can just keep repeating this, and pick up the pace until you both get tired.

If your dog doesn’t seem to want to follow you down the stairs when you first start, you can always try using the leash as well.

Taking laps on the stairs can also be done on bleachers, or any outdoor setting where you can find stairs.

So, Forget the Daily Walk Routine, and Mix in Some Excitement.

Daily walks around the same old dog park are now the past, and these fun, new exercises are the future. Try one of them out, or all of them, maybe try mixing a couple together, and see how it turns out. You’re sure to have fun, no matter what you end up doing with your furry friend, but I really hope that one of them works out for you.