3 Ways to Make Exercising Fun with Your Pet
01-25-2023 | General
If you are anything like me, you set New Year’s goals that may now already be on the back burner. Really, who can blame us though? What’s fun about going to the gym alone when you aren’t necessarily a workout guru? Nothing, that’s for sure! I have been racking my brain on ways to make this process less dreadful and have been coming up short. Finally it hit me… workout with your pets! When you have a house full of furry four-legged best friends like me, how can you ever be lonely. Brilliant right? Here are some fun ways you can bring your furbaby along for your fitness journey:
1. Find Your Zen with Pet Yoga
Over the past few years the yoga community has embraced incorporating pets and other friendly animals into its practices. Specialized sessions that include either your own four legged pal or adoptable pets have been popping up in many cities across the country. Whether it’s a calm relaxing flow in the park with your pup, or a zen filled session with a local farm animal, there’s options out there for just about everyone.
For me yoga at home with my cats has been an experience. Since I have transitioned from shooing them off the mat to lovingly admiring their loaf form while I practice around them, my sessions seem to not only be more enjoyable for me but also a bonding experience for us.
We play some of our calming music playlists for our sessions and let the peaceful ambiance do its job.
2. Go for a Walk, Jog, or Run
I don’t know about you, but a nice afternoon stroll with some company makes it much more enjoyable. When you don’t have a two legged companion for a brisk morning run, take your pooch along with you! Walking may be something that you already include in your day with your pup. If you tend to only take a 10 to 15 minute walk, increase the duration to 20-30 minutes two to three times a week. Walking is a low-impact activity that not only increases your heart rate but also gets your body moving to loosen up and flex those muscles. Don’t count your kitties out! Many cats can learn to walk on a leash, although they may not be up to a 20-30 minute walk at the start. There are also many backpack carriers available to take your cats along for a walk so they can also enjoy the stimulation of new scenery. If you have to drive to a place for a nice walk and your pet doesn’t particularly like car rides, try playing one of our special playlists on your way to the park to help ease some of the anxious energy. Once they start associating the car with a fun walk full of things to explore, car rides may become less of an issue for them.
3. Get Creative with Playtime
Sometimes we simply don’t have the energy to exercise, but who said being active had to just be limited to a workout? Not us, in fact the key to better fitness is to just STAY MOVING. There’s no better way to get moving and make it not feel like a chore than putting aside a bit of playtime for you and your pet each day. Start out by just doing what you love to do. Spend time together outside in your garden, play fetch or frisbee in the yard, or next time your pet gets the zoomies why not zoom with them? As for obstacle courses, it’s a standing joke in our house that no matter the box, if a cat fits they shall sit. Next time you go on a bit of an online shopping spree save the boxes and make a little indoor obstacle course for your cats or even small dogs. A lot or a little can go into building an obstacle course, so that will be a workout for you itself! If you are more of an outdoor person use your yard to create an agility course for you to run with your pet. With activities like hoops, hurdles, jumps, and tunnels your pet’s natural competitive nature will create a new and fun activity for both of you to get your steps in for the day. All in all, even though exercise may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it is essential to not only our health but our pets’ as well. Find what works best for you and your companion and start moving!
Community Comments
From iCalmPet reader, Sarah J.: "I started doing Doga (dog yoga) with my beagle, Buster, after reading this. He mostly just sleeps on the mat, but it's our special time together. Thanks for the idea!" From iCalmPet reader, Mike R.: "The obstacle course tip was a game-changer. My kids and I built a whole fort out of cardboard boxes for our two cats. It was a workout for us and hours of fun for them." From iCalmPet reader, anonymous: "My dog gets super anxious in the car. I was skeptical about the music, but playing some calming tunes really does seem to help him settle down on the way to the dog park."