Working out with your pet!

shadows1177

I write for the Examiner (there is a link to my stuff in my signature) and I am going to start writing a series about exercise and work outs that you can do with your pets to help keep them in shape too or just be fun for them. It just seems that every time I go out for a walk or a hike that I take them with me. I do some other stuff with them too, like picking them up while doing a bit of strength training and what not. It seems to help our bond and makes it fun for me to do too (playing with your dog vs working out lol). Does anyone else do this sort of stuff too??

BbNuke

I write for the Examiner (there is a link to my stuff in my signature) and I am going to start writing a series about exercise and work outs that you can do with your pets to help keep them in shape too or just be fun for them. It just seems that every time I go out for a walk or a hike that I take them with me. I do some other stuff with them too, like picking them up while doing a bit of strength training and what not. It seems to help our bond and makes it fun for me to do too (playing with your dog vs working out lol). Does anyone else do this sort of stuff too??

Well, I dance with my dog around the house. She doesn't like it when I carry her - she wants to get her own groove on!

sandara

Does it count if my cat jumps on my back whenever I'm doing an exercise that requires me to bend over? She's crazy! :laugh:

PJilly

My dogs like to lie on the bedroom floor and watch me do my P90X workouts. Does that count?

baggins706

I have a 10 year old Cocker Spaniel and a 2 year old Yorkie, in order to keep them fit I make sure to walk the neighborhood twice a week for about 2 miles and sometimes to get a change of scenery we would hit the park on the weekends early in the morning as well. My Yorkie gets a little more fitness in because he is VERY PLAYFUL he loves toys and we play catch in the house per his request. Yes... he brings his toy of choice places it on your lap while sitting on the couch and runs across the house waiting for you to throw it! Ha ha he's a funny lil dude!
My pets' fitness is MOST important to me; it keeps them happy, healthy and fit!

shadows1177

LOL! Yeah all of these things count! I forgot all about dog dancing!! My cats try to jump on me when I am stretching. It doesnt have to be something that really works them out too but it helps to build that bound between you! I need to do this sooooo much more.

shadows1177

I have a 10 year old Cocker Spaniel and a 2 year old Yorkie, in order to keep them fit I make sure to walk the neighborhood twice a week for about 2 miles and sometimes to get a change of scenery we would hit the park on the weekends early in the morning as well. My Yorkie gets a little more fitness in because he is VERY PLAYFUL he loves toys and we play catch in the house per his request. Yes... he brings his toy of choice places it on your lap while sitting on the couch and runs across the house waiting for you to throw it! Ha ha he's a funny lil dude!
My pets' fitness is MOST important to me; it keeps them happy, healthy and fit!

A yorkie that walks two miles! Holly cow those little legs must be tough!

Lisa0711

I have a 1 1/2 year old Cocker Spaniel.. he is so crazy! We'll go walking around the house and out the road by a pond and he'll go swimming every time he's around water. He also likes to run and jump on the grass and bark at it... Oh and if a shadow comes by he'll follow it barking like crazy! I swear if I walk a mile with him he probably runs about 4 running after shadows, coming back to me and then leaving to explore again. If we all had the energy he does NO ONE would be overweight! lol

jodi_bannister

My Yorkie gets a little more fitness in because he is VERY PLAYFUL he loves toys and we play catch in the house per his request. Yes... he brings his toy of choice places it on your lap while sitting on the couch and runs across the house waiting for you to throw it! Ha ha he's a funny lil dude!

My cat is exactly like this!! I know, most people think that cats are boring and just do their own thing, but our cat LOVES playing. She will find her little balls and bring them to me to throw for her then she hides them under the furniture, just so she can get them back out. She also has some feather toys (a feather on the end of a long stick, a feather on a string on a stick) that she loves to play with. I was dancing around the living room the other day with it and she was chasing me around. She will play for a good 10 minutes before she poops out and falls flat out on the floor for a nap :laugh: It's hilarious!! Or maybe I am just easily amused :ohwell: :laugh:

a1schwei

my dog is my constant running/walking partner...he is a beagle and is 2.5 years old with the energy of a puppy...it feels wrong to go for a run without him now since i started working out seriously and walking/running regularly around christmas time he has lost about 4lbs!!! on days that i don't feel like exercising and want to sit on the couch instead i just have to look over at him and i realize that we both need to get up and just go!!! best motivation ever!!!!

speranza

LOL, Yes your cat counts! My cat use to jump on my stomach when I was doing sit ups on the stability ball and watch me or hop on my back while doing push ups.

As for the original post, I work out 2x per day everyday and afterwards take my dog for a 30 min walk. I do 50 min of weights/strength training in the AM and 40 min of cardio in the evening. He knows that as soon as I am done we will go for his walk. So in the AM and the PM he sits and plays with his toys and watches me workout. He even has his own floor workout mat he sits on with his toys.

I also take him a couple of times a month to the dog park and run sprints with him as fast as we both can go, down the length of the park. He loves that, since he doesn't have to be on a leash like when he is doing his daily walks.

Hiking is another great activity with your pet. My dog has a little backpack I bought him and when we go on hikes, I make him carry his dry food and collapsible water bowl in his pack. He struts around like no bodies business in his little backpack acting like he is so important since he has a job to do. :

Be creative, is my advise to everyone. Think about how good you feel after a great workout, our pets deserve to feel the same!

MattySparky

My Presa, Jada, runs 5K with me every day and loves it!

baggins706

Lol yes, because he is a little one I make sure to wear my pedometer... once we clock in one mile it's back to the house for us. when we get back he is worn out!

I have a 10 year old Cocker Spaniel and a 2 year old Yorkie, in order to keep them fit I make sure to walk the neighborhood twice a week for about 2 miles and sometimes to get a change of scenery we would hit the park on the weekends early in the morning as well. My Yorkie gets a little more fitness in because he is VERY PLAYFUL he loves toys and we play catch in the house per his request. Yes... he brings his toy of choice places it on your lap while sitting on the couch and runs across the house waiting for you to throw it! Ha ha he's a funny lil dude!
My pets' fitness is MOST important to me; it keeps them happy, healthy and fit!

A yorkie that walks two miles! Holly cow those little legs must be tough!

melanie92

I have 4 dogs and take them all for a walk every day. They drive me nuts if I try to shirk! They also go nuts when I try to do my Zumba routine! They love to dance with me!

gonabfit

I LOVE animals! LOL

My Whippet brings me what he wants to play with... and if I'm not looking he will (get this...) THROW it at me with his mouth... lol. after a few wet toys being flung at me, I usually get that he wants to play fetch.

We also dance together. AND go for long walks/ runs 4-5x / week :-)

p.s. a whippet is a dog that looks like a greyhound but smaller!

kristinlough

My mini doxies and I do a 3 mile trek around the park when we can. But when it's just me at home, they want to play fetch while I work out. I can't help it - it's dangerous to have a ball at your feet, but how can I say no?? them

PJilly

I LOVE animals! LOL

My Whippet brings me what he wants to play with... and if I'm not looking he will (get this...) THROW it at me with his mouth... lol. after a few wet toys being flung at me, I usually get that he wants to play fetch.

We also dance together. AND go for long walks/ runs 4-5x / week :-)

p.s. a whippet is a dog that looks like a greyhound but smaller!

And they say we train our animals. Ha! They totally train us. :laugh:

shadows1177

WOW!! You guys have really inspired me to really write these articles!! And you all do so much with your pets!! I love it!! Here is a link to the first one http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-37994-Tacoma-Pets-Examiner~y2010m5d30-Working-out-with-your-pets I know that its all about the area that I live in but this is just a starter article for the rest to come and even though I might write about things that are around me I want to make sure that I am writing about things that anyone anywhere can do!! I am soooooooo happy to see that I am not the only who works out with their pets! You guys rock!!

Michellerw1

My dog always works out with me. I take him when I go running. There is a large paved area in the woods behind my neighborhood (it is used for snow disposal) so I usually make that part of my route. I run a few laps there and let him off the leash, and kick or toss a few pine cones for him. He is great motivation when running, as he is a 2 year old hound/pointer and has a ton of energy. Towards the ends of my runs I swear he pulls harder on the leash.

He also hikes with me and my BF (he loves to climb).

He also gets down on the floor and rolls around while I stretch. :laugh:

Sandeee

Yes, just got back from a 4 mile walk. I have a pomeranian and a rat terrier. They both love our daily walks and we never do less that 2 miles walking and running combo. My Rat loves to lay over my ankles as I do leg lifts. Hey it is an extra 10 lbs. As for them, I feel this will keep they joints and bodies healthy!

Sillybunni

I take my boxers for walks and plan to have them join my in my C25K training.
Probably my favorite thing though is stretching with them, they tend to be underfoot so when I'm stretching I always have a dog under me to pet while I stretch it out. Kinda like the doggie yoga I've seen on tv.

When writing your articles you may want to include a disclaimer that dogs under 18 months old shouldn't be run or walked long distances on leash because their growth plates haven't closed and it can damage their joints.

BR1986FB

With 14 cats/kittens, I no longer do P90X yoga inside the house. Yoga was turning into "Twister."

megamom

But remember when working out with your pets. We were riding our bikes yesterday and saw a couple riding with their dog running along side. It was 90 degrees. They didn't have the dog wet and didn't have enough water and the dog almost collapsed from heat stroke. I get my dog wet to keep her cool and carry water for us both when we go for long treks. Because your pet will always try to keep up, until it's too late.

PJilly

With 14 cats/kittens, I no longer do P90X yoga inside the house. Yoga was turning into "Twister."

Right hand, Tabby. Left foot, Siamese. :laugh:

shadows1177

But remember when working out with your pets. We were riding our bikes yesterday and saw a couple riding with their dog running along side. It was 90 degrees. They didn't have the dog wet and didn't have enough water and the dog almost collapsed from heat stroke. I get my dog wet to keep her cool and carry water for us both when we go for long treks. Because your pet will always try to keep up, until it's too late.

Great point! I will be sure to write about that in my articles!!

weaklink109

I have a 14 year old Yorkshire "Terror." a 12 year old Lhasa Apso, and a 5 year old Shih tzu. We walk 40 - 60 minutes each day, except during rain. We are all wussies!!:laugh: :laugh: I have only had the Yorkie for about 7 months, and he is bulletproof--can go farther/longer than the other two. When we stop to rest, he always stands there like "Ok, get the lead out, what are we waitin for?:laugh: :laugh:

Does it count as "weight lifting" when I lift the 18 lb Shih tzu and the 14 lb. Yorkie onto the bed??:bigsmile: :bigsmile: The Lhasa weighs about 26 lbs. and she is very persnickity about being picked up, unless it is to be put in the car.

My guys also "help" me when I try to do exercise videos, when they jump around and try to "catch" my hands if they are moving. We don't do many videos at my house.:ohwell:

asltiffm

I have 4 dogs as well. 1 is SUPER lazy but the other 3 are high energy dogs. The lazy one sleeps all day until he hears the jingle of the keys and runs downstairs so he doesn't get left behind on the walk. We usually walk 3-5 miles a day in the winter or 2-3 miles a day in the summer. I have them run as much as the laziest dog will allow. But for the 3 other dogs, I go biking with them when I have enough time. The rides are really SLOOOOOOOW since it's at their paces. Jasmine, the super obedient and fit one, lives to run! Last year, we trained together to do a weekend biking/camping trip. She ran almost 15 miles that weekend and still made a fuss when I made her rest in the trailer. Biking with my dogs is my, and their, favorite activity to do together. Besides both of us getting some exercise together, we also really bond on the walks and bike rides.

I would remind people that just because a dog is a dog does not mean theat they are athletes. If they have spent 5 years being a couch potato, they can't just go out and run 5 miles. They will hurt just like a person does. It takes just a little bit of knowledge and good dose of common sense...not something I see too many dog owners using, sadly.

BR1986FB

With 14 cats/kittens, I no longer do P90X yoga inside the house. Yoga was turning into "Twister."

Right hand, Tabby. Left foot, Siamese. :laugh:

Change that to left foot, Persian and you're right on the money.

weaklink109

Must share a funny. One of the women on the 50+ Women's thread has two standard poodles who are very "helpful." As a result, at her house fitness activity includes "Pooga"--AKA "Yoga with Poodles." There is also "Poolates"--AKA "Pilates with Poodles" :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Luneytoonz

My cats love to watch me on the WiiFit. One watches the tv and the other watches me. She's my Trainer. She's tough, but fair. And when she gets tired, she quits. I can live with that! LOL Cats have their own unique view on things.

TracieJ65

I began taking my dogs to the dog park, two years ago, due to one being overwieght and one having a heart problem. It is actually something that is part of my daily routine, without fail, unless it's pouring rain. Well, up until my "lifestyle change," in January, I would stand there and just throw the ball for them or let them chase/play with the other dogs so they got their exercise. Well, when I began my "journey" I had an epiphany! "Why aren't I walking, or running, around while I am here, and getting my own exercise at the same time?" I was always there for a good half hour, sometimes longer, if they were enjoying themselves. So, I began actually walking while I was there with them. This area is not a level/straight area. There are potholes to avoid, it's up/down on one edge of the perimeter, there are trees to walk around at another area of the perimeter, etc. So, it is some good light hiking/walking. I started out at barely making it 15-20 min of walking to where I am today. For the last week I have put in a good hour of walking, while there, and today I did 90 min. My dogs were all laying down, and pretty much spent, so I decided it was time time to go!! :-) There is also over a mile and a half of a walking path, out there, so sometimes I may take them again, in the evening, and walk the walking path.