How to Build Your Dog’s Fitness Levels
We all love to think of our dog as a boundless ball of energy who will follow us wherever we go. However, for whatever reason – age, ailments or general lifestyle – that’s not always the case. Whether yours is an Olympic athlete or a shy couch-dweller, try our top tips to on how to get your dog fit.
How to get a dog fit – starting from the beginning
Your dog may have less than average fitness levels for any number of reasons, for example:
- Not enough exercise
- Social anxiety
- Age (puppies tend to have less stamina)
- Stiffness caused by prior illness
If your pooch falls into any one of the above categories, the first thing to do is to consult with your vet. It may be worth going for a general check-up to make sure your dog doesn’t have any underlying health issues, such as heart problems or reduced mobility.
How else your vet can help
In addition to discussing dog fitness, your vet can also guide you on a nutritional plan. Generally speaking, it’s best to stick to premium brands that don’t use fillers to bulk out the product. These will ensure your dog’s digestive system functions as well as it can. You should also keep an eye on daily calorie limits for your pup and stop any treats that aren’t designed for dogs – no more scraps from the dining room table.
Another great benefit of getting regular trips to the vet is their weighing scales. Getting your dog’s weight right, especially if it’s a larger breed, is difficult without medical equipment. It’s also a key indicator of your dog’s health, so make sure you tick all of these off before you start with a dog fitness program.
Small exercises for unfit dogs
Building up a fitness plan will take patience with less fit dogs. So, start small and combine it with your own activities. Got a letter to post? Have a five-minute walk with your dog and slowly progress to 10-minute walks – you could use this time to get an important family phone call in, or pop to the local shop.
Often, the hardest step is getting a lazy dog out of the house! This comes down to conditioning – ideally, you need to incentivise your dog without encouraging it to eat treats. This could be something as simple as conditioning your pup to walk outside to the dustbin with you.
Increase the bond with a tug of war
Getting your pup to walk alongside you is one thing – it’s another to connect with them through a little one on one! A tug of war with an approved chew toy is great for doing this. Start by lining up your dog’s neck and back to keep the spine safe. Do not resist – let the dog pull the toy. This will help to increase your dog’s strength, plus allay any bad behavioural tendencies like chewing furniture.
Play fetch
After a few days of building up the two exercises above, you can progress to playing fetch. Start by throwing the ball a very short distance – perhaps practise indoors first (where it is safe to do so!) and then try outside. This is also a great way to train up your dog in commands, which will work for when fitness improves.
How to measure your dog’s fitness
After four or five weeks on this routine, check in with your vet. It may be time to upgrade your canine workout program. Before you start, you should take a look at your dog’s health and fitness in general. Make a mental note of how long your dog could run/walk for when you started before panting, and compare it to now.
Ask your vet to weigh the dog, and keep your eyes open for any changes in attitude. Is your pooch happier to exercise now? If you want to be really technical, you can even use dog fitness trackers – great for sticking to your dog’s collar and analysing later. An added bonus: they might help you improve your fitness too!
How to get a dog fit
So now that your dog is comfortable, you’re probably looking for how to make your dog fit for more ambitious activities – long walks, bike rides and hikes, for example. You need to consider not just your dog’s cardiovascular health, but the strength in its body and legs.
Dog circuit training
It sounds laughable, but there are many dog workouts that go beyond the standard walk! Try the following exercises outside in the park or at home if you’ve got more room.
- Cone weaves – line up a few small game cones and run around them with your dog to improve speed and agility.
- Step-ups – use a makeshift step such as a pile of books or even your own exercise step. If you can, line a few up and jump over them with the dog to strengthen the back legs.
- Sit, stay and squat – you’ll need the cones again. You can also test your dog’s obedience. Lie out two cones a fair distance from one another. Run to one and tell your pup to sit while you squat. Repeat back and forth until you’re both tired!
Hill training
Once you’re comfortable walking with your pooch, you can amplify your dog fitness training routine with a light jog. Plan a route using tools like Gmaps Pedometer. Here you can incorporate small hills to build up your pup’s endurance. Try going a little higher up the hill every week.
Going out into the big bad world
Once your dog can comfortably train with you (which you can measure by taking it on runs of two to six miles), it’s time to get out there! Consider a camping trip where you can do hiking trails, or investing in a bike leash to take your dog on longer walks.
Remember, you should always get an assessment from your vet before you embark on a new regime. Puppy fitness is particularly important as younger dogs do not have the stamina for hours-long walks.
With a little encouragement, you can turn a lazy or shy dog into an active and happy pup. Keep an eye on your dog’s health and look at your own, too. You could even make yourself healthier as your dog’s fitness begins to increase.
A dog will never give you any excuses to stay home, so there’s no reason why you and your pup can’t get out running! From less anxiety to a longer lifespan, there are so many benefits to getting your dog fit and healthy.
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20th March 2020