Dogs are the fucken’ tits.
I’m so glad I got that statement out of my system early on. But seriously, unless you’re allergic or were born without a functioning heart, there aren’t many reasons to dislike our fury, four-legged counterparts.
they smart
they loyal
i appreciate them
Another thing that is good in life is being fit and healthy. Dogs complement a healthy lifestyle well. They’ll force you outside at least twice a day, what with all the shitting and walking they need to complete.
Here are seven choice exercises you can do with your best mate.
As they say – if you got a dog, you got a gym.
1. Go for a jog with ya dog
Launching right in here with the most obvious of exercises to do with pupper.
Similar to humans, each dog has different exercise requirements. You gotta take their age, breed, size and overall health into consideration before you launch into a marathon. On average, though, between 30 to 2 hours of activity a day is recommended to maintain health and wellness.
Breeds like the gorgeous retriever, hounds, collies or shepards need the most, due to their inborn nature to hunt and work.
While you might be a-okay with holding a leash the entire time, there are certain gizmos you can buy to make the dog / human run interaction smoother. There are all sorts of attachments (some for as little as $5.99) so you can sing with pride, “Look Ma, no hands!!”
2. Fetch, but with a twist
Doggies love to play and be merry, and fetch is the OG way of ensuring they are experiencing both of these emotions.
Use a ball, a stick, lord, you could use whatever you dang well like.
While getting your dog to learn how to fetch is a task in itself (and it’s more well suited to certain breeds – ya pug probably won’t be fanging to do it) it’s rewarding for the both of you.
Mix up the throw and pick-back-up but incorporating sit ups.
Get puplit’s attention with the ball in your hand, then sit down on the floor. Do twenty sit ups, then on the final one, throw the ball out wide. Wait for your mate to come back with the ball, and start over.
3. Take ya dog stand-up paddle boarding
fam
This is high-risk, in the sense that you’ll only wanna do this one if your dog can swim well.
Paddle boarding is one of the best whole-body workouts you can do. But, given you can’t take an iPod out there with you, it can be pretty bloody boring. Spice it up with your dog!
Better yet, bring a toy to throw into the water for fetch. It’s amazing for summer, ’cause your pup can cool off easily.
If you’re a complete extra, you could even incorporate the above sit-ups into the mix. That’s nek level and only advised for absolute experts.
4. Take poochie to an agility course and join in
Not only are agility courses fun for poochies, they’re also A+ at improving your dog’s responsiveness and overall health.
There’s a whole dang association dedicated to agility courses in Australia – the ADAA. This is for the more hardcore agility goers, but there are plenty more grassroots-type places to get involved in at.
Otherwise, you can buy some equipment and set one up at your own backyard or the park. They go for anywhere between $99 and $22,000, depending on how much you love your dog, I guess. Run around with them are you’ll get a solid workout in.
5. Go orienteering
Dogs can’t read maps, but you probably can’t either.
Dogs are good at smelling things, though. When they aren’t sniffing one another’s assholes, they are usually sniffing out food and other goodies.
If you’re in the mood for going cross-country, take your pupper out to a wooded area or park, and hide something of theirs. Run around with them as they search for their bounty. Before you know it, your legs will be sore. Two birds, one stone, folks.
(Note: I have a feeling this will not work for dog breeds such as toy poodles and the like. Speaking from experience. Pepper, you have brought shame to this family.)
6. Go for a bike ride with doglit
While some dogs can ride they own bikes, the majority can’t. That doesn’t mean your dog should be excluded from the fun of a cheeky cycle.
u wot
Of course, you don’t want to be doing this on a busy road on your commute to work, but if you find a nice seaside track, go hog wild. It’s recommended you use a special non-choky collar and lead situation, like this.
7. Go rollerblading with pupper
Actually, don’t.
I tried doing this once with an eager Border Collie. The moment I stepped out of my front door with my wheels on, and off Rocket took, with me scrambling behind. I ended up banging straight into the back of a car and almost shattered my kneecap.
Stick to the bike, fam.
Photo: @oscar_banana_king / Instagram.
