HOME WORKOUTS WITH YOUR DOG

Working out with your dog can be a great way to enjoy some quality time with your best friend and stay fit at the same time. Everybody wins!

Is your dog eager to work out with you, but just keeps jumping on you while you do jumping jacks or stepping on you when you do sit-ups?

Globalvet has tips for how to turn your four-legged friend into your workout buddy!

Here are some videos that show you how to do it using the following commands:

“STAY”

“SIT/LIE DOWN” SEQUENCE

“JUMP”

“TOUCH”

“SHAKE A PAW”

iframe src=”https://player.vimeo.com/video/405114717″ width=”640″ height=”360″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”>

“GO UNDER”

HERE ARE SOME OTHER IDEAS YOU CAN ADAPT DEPENDING ON HOW BIG YOUR DOG IS

• Hold your dog in your arms when doing leg exercises (e.g., lunges, squats).
• Put your dog on your back for face-down exercises (e.g., push-ups, planks, mountain climbers). If you have a big dog, get them to put just their front paws on you. You’ll need another person around the first few times you do this to help your dog position themselves properly.
• Have your dog sit on your stomach for exercises where your back in on the ground (e.g., leg scissors, bridges). If you have a big dog, get them to put just their front paws on you.
• Have your dog lie down and do exercises over top of them (e.g., push-ups, planks).
• Play fetch with a toy or toss your dog some kibble while doing exercises that don’t require your hands (e.g., squats, boats) or even while you’re doing push-ups or a plank. You’ll have to work even harder to lift your hand up and throw something, so make sure you maintain the proper form when you do it!

Thanks to Natascha Béchard, fitness coach at Yoga Fitness, and her dog King Kong for the demonstrations!

Of course, it’s important not to put yourself at risk of injury when incorporating your dog into your workout routine. The weight of your dog should never be a danger to you when you exercise.

We are not fitness experts, so we recommend you talk to a fitness professional to learn how to safely do the exercises mentioned in this article.

Ready for your first challenge? Check out this video for ideas and get your squat on!