Your New Year’s Fitness Goals and Your Pets

Are you one of the 50% of people who have a fitness goal as one of their resolutions? Hopefully you’re still on track, but statistics show that only 9-12% of people who make resolutions keep them. Here are a few tips for involving your pet in your new fitness routine if you’ve decided that this is the year you’ll put your health first.

You can use your pet as an accountability partner
Even if it’s just an extra walk at the same time each day, your pet can also be your accountability partner if you’re trying to lose weight. Make sure your pet is part of your new daily routine, even if it’s just an extra walk. You will soon be reminded by your pet that it’s time for your morning walk and inspired to get moving.

You can keep your pet calm and comfortable by following a routine. When you stick to a predictable routine with your pet, they will stay excited and expectant, so when you aren’t inspired to get up and go, they will nag you with those adorable puppy-dog eyes to get up and go!

Yoga classes for dogs
You don’t just need to improve your fitness, find some Zen with your pup with dog yoga. With your dog, you’ll stretch your mind, body, and spirit. Once you begin, you’ll enjoy bonding with your pet and looking forward to your yoga sessions. Plus, your dog will love the attention and exercise, so you may even notice behavioral improvements!

Doga, also known as dog exercises, is a great indoor option when you can’t go on a walk due to bad weather. Plus, even if you can’t find a doga class near you, you can learn the exercises online.

Bringing some fun to the table
Incorporate sports drills into your fetch game so your dog doesn’t get confused with your good balls. If you’re into tennis or another sport, you can practice your skills by incorporating sports drills into your play. With your dog, you can practice your tennis serve, baseball or softball swings, soccer kicks, and volleyball serves at the same time. Your pup will love it, and you can improve your form at the same time.

Play some Ultimate Frisbee with your pet
You can play this team sport with your dog in the park or in your backyard. Learn the rules or make up your own; the goal is to get outside and have fun.

It’s a perfect physical activity for you and your return-trained pooch. Grab your disc and head to the park or beach if you don’t want to play a formal game or it’s just you and your pup. After a day of throwing and running with your dog, you’ll be surprised at how tired you can become.

Take a trip to the beach or trail
A walk is a low-impact exercise that you can do with your pet easily. For more physical activity, go for a hike on a trail or walk on a sandy beach. The terrain requires more effort, so you’ll get more value for your workout. The scenery is incredible! Being out with your dog in nature just makes you keep going, so it’s a great way to keep your fitness goals and mix up your usual walk with your dog.

Play with your pup and make a splash
Even though not all dogs love water, if they do, take them for a swim. No matter if you live near (or own) a pool that is dog-friendly, or if you need to go to a nearby lake or beach, swimming is a great way to exercise. You can also increase the effectiveness of your workouts by adding water resistance. Grab your pet’s favorite ball and play fetch with him.

Your pet will love getting jiggy with you
Do you want an indoor activity to do with your dog that will get your groove going while you’re at home? You can teach your pup to dance! The best part is you don’t have to use any special equipment and you can do the workout whenever you want. Plus, you now have a great party trick to entertain friends and family. In addition to being good for your heart, dancing 30 minutes a day burns as many calories as jogging.

Agility Training for Your Dog
Your dog runs through obstacle courses in agility, a dog sport open to all breeds, including mixed breeds. Competing will keep you on top of your training schedule, but your dog will love the time with you, so you will have two more reasons to stay active. The obstacles will be run over and over again while you’re learning, so both you and your pup will benefit from the physical exercise. A speed trial will also be part of the competition, so you’ll have to keep your dog moving as fast as possible.

In addition to you, your dog will also benefit from agility training. You will likely notice your dog behaves better and listens better outside of agility trials as a result of training in general. It’s possible to bond with friends and family as well as your dog during agility training.

No matter how you decide to get into shape this year, involving your pet is something you won’t regret. Your fitness goals have been met, and now you have been able to spend quality time with your best friend as well. So grab an extra cookie for you and your pup; you earned it!