Dogs and exercise

My 12 yr old mutt is never still: following around the house, tug'o war, jumping onto anything within reach of her sausage like body, sees leash: madness ! Running alongside while I kick my scooter, head piece on the sup, swimming...etc. ah, walking, of course. In the process, we keep each other fit and fun.

What activities do you share with your dog (s) ?
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Replies

  • lawlorka
    lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
    I walk my dog every morning for an hour before I go to work (he gets walked again by my partner in the afternoon for 90mins).

    I also do agility training with him once a week, and that always has me huffing and puffing trying to keep up with him.

    My favourite thing is our morning walks before the sun comes up - what a great way to start my day :)
  • TheLung
    TheLung Posts: 58
    I want a dog so bad but my son is allergic to them. I would love a Aussie Shepard or a Border Collie. I have plenty of free time in the day. I used to have a Pit and he would love to go skateboarding. I would harness him and get a long leash and hit the curvy road in town. We would pass cars and he loved it. I would also do the same on my bicycle. Man I miss that dog.
  • balfit
    balfit Posts: 30

    My favourite thing is our morning walks before the sun comes up - what a great way to start my day :)

    So nice to start our days with the doggies....a great way to jump start any fitness regime, early in the day !
  • balfit
    balfit Posts: 30
    I want a dog so bad but my son is allergic to them. I would love a Aussie Shepard or a Border Collie. I have plenty of free time in the day. I used to have a Pit and he would love to go skateboarding. I would harness him and get a long leash and hit the curvy road in town. We would pass cars and he loved it. I would also do the same on my bicycle. Man I miss that dog.

    Is he allergic to the short haired dogs too? It would be so cool to have a dog make you both company for play and exercise. A friend has 2 pits that he takes for daily runs and rough play. How robust ! A perfect companion for play, I feel your loss.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    I take my dog on all my walk/runs and hikes, she also goes trail riding with me and my horse. Having a little buddy just makes life sooo much better if you ask me!
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    I want a dog so bad but my son is allergic to them. I would love a Aussie Shepard or a Border Collie. I have plenty of free time in the day. I used to have a Pit and he would love to go skateboarding. I would harness him and get a long leash and hit the curvy road in town. We would pass cars and he loved it. I would also do the same on my bicycle. Man I miss that dog.

    Have you looked into any of the "designer dogs" nowadays? alot of the poodle crosses are less allergenic than other dogs, just an idea that might be worth looking into
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    I love my guys so much. We like to walk, of course, but the coolest fitness thing they do is yoga, lol. Like they do their own yoga after I do mine. If I slack off and stop the yoga, they stop the yoga. It's kind of bizarre :)

    The big, old dog likes to do.... Old Dog. I'm not kidding. That has to be where they got the name for it. Little guy likes hip openers. I love watching them have fun and stretch.
  • balfit
    balfit Posts: 30
    I love my guys so much. We like to walk, of course, but the coolest fitness thing they do is yoga, lol. Like they do their own yoga after I do mine. If I slack off and stop the yoga, they stop the yoga. It's kind of bizarre :)

    The big, old dog likes to do.... Old Dog. I'm not kidding. That has to be where they got the name for it. Little guy likes hip openers. I love watching them have fun and stretch.

    I saw a video of a chihuahua and his owner doing yoga poses. I thought it was a cool thing, since my mutt follows my every movement during my mat pilates sessions. Would love to see your dogs in action !
  • I do lots of hiking, mostly because of the dogs, so of course they go with me. I also take them with me for all of my runs. I do bikejoring and canicross with the GSD, since the wolfdog usually feels way too classy to bother. Or we just walk, but lately, the walks have been transforming into runs/speed hikes.
  • tinana_RN
    tinana_RN Posts: 541 Member
    My dog drags me around the block and the yard. She's growing everyday and I'm actually a little frightened at how big she's going to be. :embarassed: Fortunately KinderPuppy is helping us both but geez.......
  • FourIsCompany
    FourIsCompany Posts: 269 Member
    I mostly just walk with my dogs.
    I want a dog so bad but my son is allergic to them.

    Poodles are hypoallergenic and very smart. I'd love a standard poodle.

    Other breeds you might consider.
    http://dogs.about.com/od/dogbreeds/qt/hypoallergenic.htm
    Have your son meet the dog before taking him home to see how he reacts.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    My almost 2 year old yellow lab puppy has just finally figured out how to play tug o war (she used to grab on and crawl into my lap). According to my bodymedia armband, playing tug o war with demon spawn burns more calories than doing burpees. Score!
  • Legs_McGee
    Legs_McGee Posts: 845 Member
    My dog and I play fetch: she drops her toy off the side of the bed, I reach down and pick it up her for her, she drops it off the side again ....

    Even though my dog is a dachshund and her legs are only about an inch and a half long, she can walk forever. I've taken her on 6 and 8 mile hikes. If she's not in the mood to walk then I get to carry her, so I get some strength training in.
  • walkinthedogs
    walkinthedogs Posts: 238 Member
    I have 3 dogs, 2 Shih Tzu's and one Terrier Mix Mutt and he is wild. He also never leaves my side and stares at me constantly like he is head of heels in love with me, it's quite funny. We go out walking every morning before sun up also. Love it, makes my day and his. I really should get up earlier so we can walk longer. Weekends we go hiking in the mountains and I bring the one shih tzu that loves to go hiking (the other one just wants to nap and run around the yard and that seems to be enough for her).

    Shih Tzu's are also hypoallergenic because they have hair instead of fur and the do not shed at all. They must be groomed and brushed but they make really really great companion dogs. I know most people think they are little yappers, but just like all dogs, they have their own little personality and I can't imagine my life without any of my doggies. I love them all. But I've always felt that way about all the dogs I've owned. My life is better because of dogs for sure.
  • I do a range of things with my dog, along with intelligence activities like finding treats, guessing the cup the treat is under etc. We walk for an hour in the morning, an hour in the evening and spend about 30-40 minutes running in the yard (he likes to be chased), and most of the time I am just left huffing and puffing behind but he continues to run. I tried getting him used to the bike this summer. We also go to the dog park on the weekends, he is not much of a fetch guy. He goes to the rescue events with me to meet all the other dogs :)
  • walkinthedogs
    walkinthedogs Posts: 238 Member
    My dog and I play fetch: she drops her toy off the side of the bed, I reach down and pick it up her for her, she drops it off the side again ....

    Even though my dog is a dachshund and her legs are only about an inch and a half long, she can walk forever. I've taken her on 6 and 8 mile hikes. If she's not in the mood to walk then I get to carry her, so I get some strength training in.

    That's funny. I've ended up having the carry my Shih Tzu a few times too. They have short noses and can't cool themselves as well, so I have to make sure she doesn't overheat, but she'll go forever if she could. She is really fit for a little 8 year old and still has loads of energy, she just can't walk in the heat.
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    I want a dog so bad but my son is allergic to them. I would love a Aussie Shepard or a Border Collie. I have plenty of free time in the day. I used to have a Pit and he would love to go skateboarding. I would harness him and get a long leash and hit the curvy road in town. We would pass cars and he loved it. I would also do the same on my bicycle. Man I miss that dog.

    Check with local rescue orgs. The org I volunteer with has a running program that allows volunteers to take shelter dogs for runs. This way you get your dog fix.

    My Millie (see pic on ticker) loves loves loves to go for walks. She acts like a spastic crazy dog when she sees me getting ready to take her for a walk, she even knows which are my walking shoes and which are my workout shoes. Though I wouldn't call it so much exercise for me since my job is to basically wait while she checks her "pee mail" and pick up her poop.
  • TheLung
    TheLung Posts: 58
    My son was around a Lapuspso(sp?) that was professionally groomed once a week and still had issues. If someone has an animal I know within 5 mins of my son being around them. Cats and dust mites are the worse for him. I am hoping he outgrows it soon because I really want a dog.
  • balfit
    balfit Posts: 30
    According to my bodymedia armband, playing tug o war with demon spawn burns more calories than doing burpees. Score!
    Fitness play, yeah...
  • juiletflt
    juiletflt Posts: 159
    My Golden Retriever goes on some sort of adventure every day. Walks, hiking, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, agility training, jogging, and his favorite is dog day at the pool that only happens once a year.

    Quick word of advise for those of you with big dogs. Talk to your vet before you jog with them or do anything that required jumping. Most big dogs are advised not to do anything like that for the first year as those activities have been known to contribute to hip dysplasia.
  • My Golden Retriever goes on some sort of adventure every day. Walks, hiking, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, agility training, jogging, and his favorite is dog day at the pool that only happens once a year.

    Quick word of advise for those of you with big dogs. Talk to your vet before you jog with them or do anything that required jumping. Most big dogs are advised not to do anything like that for the first year as those activities have been known to contribute to hip dysplasia.

    Definitely did that with my dog, I don't do much jumping activities with him as stated above, but during the summer months he is an avid swimmer as well in our backyard pool
  • balfit
    balfit Posts: 30
    My dog and I play fetch: she drops her toy off the side of the bed, I reach down and pick it up her for her, she drops it off the side again ....

    Even though my dog is a dachshund and her legs are only about an inch and a half long, she can walk forever. I've taken her on 6 and 8 mile hikes. If she's not in the mood to walk then I get to carry her, so I get some strength training in.

    I also get some arm isometrics done when it's just too hot for my 12 yr old mutt to keep up...
  • kathleennf
    kathleennf Posts: 606 Member
    Haha you could set your clock by my dog- she knows EXACTLY when it is time for her walk!
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Doing C25K with my yellow lab. He's the best motivator in the world. :-)
  • Melissa22G
    Melissa22G Posts: 847 Member
    Walking and tug o' war :)

    I tried running with them once......it was fine till they saw the neighbor's cat.
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    Mine is the biggest fan of any game of fetch, ideally with balls.

    She comes running with me. We walk a lot and do cross country hikes.

    We can't really cycle with her because as a collie she just loves to herd moving targets so cycling is not ideal.

    That's my girl. :flowerforyou:

    11cbjg2.jpg
  • Swiftdogs
    Swiftdogs Posts: 328 Member
    I show dogs, so my life outside of work revolves around them. Even when I'm not showing, I'm always grooming, doing nails, training, hauling equipment, etc.
  • QuikDogs
    QuikDogs Posts: 194 Member
    The designer dogs are not in any way hypoallergenic...it is all pretty much hype. Dogs that do not shed seem like a great idea, but what most folks are allergenic to is dander, which is a fancy way of saying "dead skin cells". And all dogs have skin.
  • QuikDogs
    QuikDogs Posts: 194 Member
    I show dogs, so my life outside of work revolves around them. Even when I'm not showing, I'm always grooming, doing nails, training, hauling equipment, etc.

    Me too! I'm one of those crazy agility girls.
  • ny2298pdsgt
    ny2298pdsgt Posts: 62 Member
    i used to take my yellow lab running with me, but now she is with my parents since I deployed. Also have a nefoundland/chow mix that when we first got him (10+yrs ago) I would put my roller blades on and let him run and pull me (not exercise for me but fun), now he is 17+ yrs old and starting to slow and loses control of his back end at times but he still loves to play fetch with his toy (and if you dont throw it fast enough for him he "punches" you). Now, when I'm home (and his kid is over) and we have the dog, we go to the dog park one day on the weekend and the other day I talk him for a long fast walk or for a mile or so run (he is a Carilonia dog about 3 yrs old, but has bad habits and pulls so we are working on that first).