The benefits of dog ownership extend beyond the oxytocin-driven boost of happiness that we get just from being around our favorite companions. Dogs are fantastic for our health in many different ways. Over time, their very presence in our lives helps improve stress levels, positively impacting our heart health. Even better: dogs are great at convincing us to get off the couch when no one else can.
It’s common knowledge that regular walks around the block with your canine companion are a great start to a healthy lifestyle. But if you want to further expand the health benefits of an active lifestyle, there are plenty of other pet-friendly activities worth exploring.
Here are six tips that will help you and your furry sidekick lead healthier, more active lifestyles this year:
1) Take Your Dog Out on Nature Hikes
The springy natural turf of a national park or other nature trail is usually a much better choice than concrete for both dogs and humans alike. As a bonus, most dogs will relish the primal sensation of being in nature and having the earth underneath their paws.
While most dogs will thrive on nature trails, getting separated and lost from your pooch can be a real risk to you both. You can prevent this by making sure your dog has an appropriate leash, a properly fitted collar with your contact details, and customizable branded dog bandanas for maximum visibility on the trail.
2) Gradually Incorporate Jogging or Running into Your Exercise Routine
It would benefit both your and your pup’s cardiovascular and mental health to ramp up your usual walking regimen. But if you haven’t been working out for a while, you should probably take things a little slow to avoid burnout and injury.
Gradually increase the intensity of your daily walks and work up to a comfortable jog over a couple of weeks. Later on, you can try running or even occasional sprints to further test and push back your and your dog’s physical limits.
3) See If Your Dog Enjoys Cycling
Cycling with your dog is a great option if you have knee problems or a particularly energetic dog with more stamina than you. Of course dogs can’t ride bikes on their own, but many enjoy following their owners and running at cycling speed.
To start, your dog may need to use a specially designed bicycle leash to ensure their safety. Keep your initial routes close to home, and gradually extend the duration of your rides as your dog becomes comfortable keeping the pace.
4) Try Swimming with Your Pooch
Swimming is a fantastic low-impact exercise for dogs, and a great alternative to daily walks. Certain dog breeds like Golden Retrievers are well-known for thriving in the water, but they aren’t the only ones that enjoy an occasional swim. If you live near a safe body of water or have access to a pet-friendly pool, take your dog to them and see if they’d enjoy a swim with you.
Not all dogs will immediately take to the water, so it’s best to start them gradually. Use positive reinforcement or fetch games to encourage them to swim. If your dog’s breed isn’t naturally inclined to swim, have them wear a life jacket that’s specifically designed for dogs to keep them safe and improve their confidence.
5) Schedule “Doga” (Dog Yoga) Sessions
To be clear, dogs can’t actually do yoga poses. However, having your dog sit, stay, and roll over with you during regular yoga sessions can help establish stronger social and emotional bonds that will be good for both your physical health and your dog-dog parent relationship. There’s also some anecdotal evidence that suggests doga could help calm down unruly dogs, so it may be worth squeezing in a few sessions a few times a week if your dog has behavioral issues.
6) Focus on Consistency, Not Intensity
Social media is full of videos of dogs and their owners doing amazing physical feats together. It’s no surprise that a lot of dog owners feel that they aren’t doing enough with their own dogs. However, every owner-pet bond is unique, and the best path to physical fitness truly depends on the situation.
In most cases, it’s far more important to be consistent with your routines than it is to be caught up in the idea of doing something extraordinary. Whether you and your dog prefer to bike, do fetch, or go hiking in the woods, the important thing is that you do it frequently. A daily thirty-minute walk will be far better for you and your dog’s well-being than sporadic intense workouts.
Over several millennia, humans and dogs have created a uniquely rich symbiotic relationship. Both you and your dog understand each other at an incredibly deep level, and achieving an active lifestyle together may come much more easily than you might expect. With planning, empathy, and patience, you’ll eventually find a routine that nurtures your unique bonds as well as your household’s collective well-being.
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