Health & Fitness: Keep Your Pet Fit, Healthy, and Happy

Many people have a love-hate relationship with exercise; we all know we should do it more, but motivation sometimes wanes, and the weather can be off-putting; the list of excuses is almost endless!

Make a change this year and challenge yourself to exercise with your pets. Cats and dogs are both applicable, so no excuses this time! Before you embark on a fitness plan of attack with your furry friend, remember safety first. If your pet is likely to wander off then invest in a collar and an easily identified pet tag, should they run off the lead. Similarly, keep your beloved pet on the lead if you are near roads or train tracks, as sometimes, even the most well behaved pet can run off if they get scared, so it’s best to be safe than sorry.

Exercise with Dogs

1. Take your regular walk, but make it an interval training session. Mix it up, walk, run and jog for set periods of time as you would on a treadmill but while out walking your dog. Your pooch will love the variation, and you’ll get a pleasant half an hour cardio session out of it too
2. If you’re low on time but want to get your dog exercising, take them on a walking route that requires them to jump over things, crawl beneath things and balance on walls
3. Spend at least half an hour playing fetch with your dog, where you can do sit-ups, press-ups and jumping jacks while your dog is fetching the ball!
4. If you prefer getting on your bike to running, take your dog with you. Remember to keep a pace that suits your hound, the muscle control is good for you, too
5. There are doggy obstacle courses out there, but you can always make one in your back garden with a play tunnel, hula hoop and a balanced broom. Do circuits with your dog, and complete a specified exercise as your dog runs the course; toe touches, sit-ups, press-ups, squats, etc.

Exercise with Cats

1. Grab a flashlight or pointer light and your cat will chase it almost instinctively. Incorporate some sit ups or burpees into the routine, to make the light beam less predictable for your cat
2. Tie your feline friend’s favourite toy to a dumbbell and get curling. Make sure it is dangling and watch your cat try to catch it, as you work out
3. Make a cardboard box house with plenty of cut-outs and peep holes to stick straws into, to tease your cat – hours of fun!
4. Get a sandbox in your garden and bury some treats. Tempt your cat into the box by leaving some on top and watch them dig away

Safety Tips

Some helpful reminders! Pets don’t sweat like humans do; they pant. Let them keep the pace, as you don’t want to exhaust them. Certain breeds of dogs especially struggle to breathe or have shorter legs, that aren’t suitable for running for extended periods of time.

Always exercise with caution and with your pet’s safety in mind. Finally, ensure you have plenty of fresh water on hand for them to drink, to avoid dehydration. Before you and your pet head out to exercise, make sure you invest in a pet ID tag to ensure they can be found if they run off for some reason. 

Final Thought
A holistic fitness plan—combining exercise, enrichment, and monitoring—not only keeps pets healthier and happier but also deepens your bond.