The must have equipment for staying fit with your dog

Walking the dog can be boring, but going to the gym means a sad dog is left at home.

The best solution is to plan some fitness activities that you and your dog can do together in the local park or even your own backyard.

There are loads of different activities you can try, but including some equipment makes it much more interesting and fun.

So today we have put together a list of ‘The Must Have Equipment for Staying Fit With Your Dog’.  We’ve tried to keep it nice and simple, with equipment you can pick up at your local pet or sports store. You may already have some of these items at home.

1. Markers

These are great, inexpensive items that are really handy to guide your activity. They usually come in a pack of 5 or 10.

Ideas:

• Pop them in a line and weave you and your dog in and out of them.
• Pop them in a circle to run around so you don’t cut corners
• Set up a shuttle run

Here is an example of markers in use:

Where you can get them: Sports stores

2. The Tuggie

You might typically think of this as simply a toy for your dog, but you can get in on the action too.

Ideas:

• You and your dog grab hold of an end each and both keep your feet moving
• Both wrestle with the tuggie, then throw it for your dog and run yourself to another location
• Drag the tuggie behind you and see when your dog catches up to it

Here is an example of the tuggie in use:

Where you can get them: Pet stores, or weave your own from tough old fabric.

3. Hurdles

This is an activity you can both do to get your heart rates up! Hurdles are a lot of fun and provide a great sense of achievement when you or your dog nails it.

Ideas:

• Put the hurdles in a row, first you jump them all, then your dog jumps them all
• Put the hurdles in a circle, have your dog jump over them while you run around the outside
• Put the hurdles in a zig zag pattern and follow them around like an obstacle course

Here is an example of hurdles in use:

Where you can get them: Sports stores. These particular ones are SKLZ brand, which you can google to purchase online.

4. Balance Disc

This tough, air-filled cushion is a great way to introduce some instability into your workout, improving your, and your dog’s, balance and core strength.

Ideas:

• Do squats on the disc, then see if your dog will walk over it
• Do lunges on the disc, then see if your dog will sit on it

Here is an example of the disc in use:

Where you can get a balance disc: Sports stores, or google ‘balance disc’ to purchase online.

5. Dumbells

Although we don’t expect your pooch to lift these weights, they are a great way to give you an upper body strength workout, while alternating with an activity that your dog can enjoy too.

Ideas:

• Punch in front of you holding the weights, then grab your dog and do a shuttle run
• Do some bicep curls, then make your dog do a circle around you and repeat

Here is an example of dumbells in use:

Where you can get them: Department stores, sports stores

So grab yourself a sports bag and deck yourself out with a kit made for doggie and human fitness heaven.

If you have any of your own favourite equipment that you use with your dog, we’d love to hear about it (and did we mention we also lurve photos of your pooches getting out and active?)