Valuable Tips For Getting Fit With Our Pets. Want to get in shape? A recent US study has shown that people who look after a four-legged friend tend to be leaner and fitter than those who do not have pets. Having a dog, for example, means several walks a day and, therefore, more physical exercise.
With our dog, you can go for long walks, run in the open air, share hikes and swim – there are many activities! And so it is possible to stay fit while also strengthening the bond with him.
But that’s not all: having a pet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Not surprisingly, research by the American Heart Association has shown that dog owners, being less stressed and exercising more, would be less exposed to significant risk factors such as being overweight, diabetes and hypertension.
Furthermore, a recent publication by the Department of Public Health Sciences at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit confirmed that living with a pet strengthens children’s immune systems against viruses, bacteria, and the most common forms of allergies.
Precautions to take before starting an exercise
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, almost a third of the Italian population between the ages of five and nineteen is overweight. And the statistics for dogs and cats are not good either. The Association for the Prevention of Obesity in Pets notes that 50 per cent of dogs and 60 per cent of cats are overweight or obese. Obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and other disabling conditions.
However, you should consult your veterinary doctor before exercising with your pet. Some exercises, such as running or brisk walking, are not recommended for puppies and some breeds with short paws and noses. Furthermore, dogs with short legs do not need to walk as much as larger ones. Flat-nosed specimens, on the other hand, may have difficulty catching their breath.
Dog fitness is the ideal activity for training together with your dog
Dog fitness is a new way of training and doing outdoor sports with your dog.
This activity was born in the United States but has caught on in Europe and Italy in just a few years.
The basic idea is simple. Exercising with our four-legged friend allows us to keep fit, removing all the tension accumulated during the day. The usual walk, often slow and repetitive, is alternated with running or a brisk walk.
During dog fitness activities, moving in tune with our dog is vital, almost in synchrony, especially if the dog is on a leash. For this reason, having suitable support to maintain the proper distance can be helpful.
Another factor not to be underestimated is that, during free body training, our furry friend can run around us, playing and having fun in the open air.
Tips for working out with dogs and cats
As we have seen, our pets can be valuable allies if we need to get back into shape. For this reason, the Doggy Boot Camps were born in the United States. These are specific courses for humans accompanied by their dogs, based on various exercises to be carried out strictly together.
We can adopt several tricks to move and have fun with our pets. The first rule is simple: abandon the sofa to leave room for play, and a ball, a toy, or a cloth mouse is enough to amuse furry pets and their owners. Green light to brisk walks and running. One suggestion is to let our dog off the leash (in protected areas) so that they can chase each other, jump and burn calories together.
Also, in the context of walks (or hikes, if you are a mountain enthusiast), a good tip is to bring a Frisbee or a stick to throw at your pet. Doing so will work on your arms and relationship with your pet, improving collaboration and emotional bonding.
So far, we have talked a lot about dogs, but cats can also be good helpers during training. How? By using them as soft weights to do push-ups. Not surprisingly, Canadian model Travis DesLaurier has posted videos on YouTube that have gone viral, where you can see the man lifting his cat for exercise during his daily workout.
Many sports to practise with your dog
A special mention goes to the Disc Dog: in this sport, the handler must throw the flying disc to his dog, who must be reasonable and quick at catching it with his mouth. We are talking about an activity suitable for all dog breeds and ideal for outdoors in the name of fun and imagination.
Canicross, on the other hand, is a sporting discipline initially created as training for ‘Musher‘ sledge dogs outside the winter season and later became a real sport. During training, our companion and his handler run outdoors, tied together by a tightrope no longer than 2 metres. Instead of a traditional collar or harness, the dog wears a special harness to pull his owner without causing physical damage by rubbing against the skin or interfering with breathing.
But the activities certainly do not end there: Bikejoring and Dog Scooter, for example, are disciplines in which the person is, respectively, on a mountain bike or scooter. Both sports suit dogs with a strong aptitude for pulling because they involve the dog running fast while pulling the handler, to whom it is tied through a shock-absorbing line equipped with a carabiner.
Not forgetting that Dog Human Fitness, a way of training with one’s pet that involves aerobic and functional exercises related to primary education, through which the dog learns calmness and self-control, thus acquiring the ability to live peacefully together with its kind and with people, is also becoming increasingly popular lately.
Keeping healthy with your cat
Encouraging our dog to exercise, whether by walking or playing a game of fetch, is a fairly common practice.
However, when it comes to cats, many owners do not realise the value of exercise. A simple and functional tip is to keep many toys around, but familiar objects such as ping-pong balls, chopsticks or pipe cleaners are also delicate. Kitty may find them fun and stimulating; staying active and interacting can be a great incentive for us.
Few things make the cat move faster than a laser pointer, such as those on the end of a pen or levelling instrument. This, too, can be a way of getting active while playing with Kitty.
Outdoor training with your cat
Without forgetting that, with proper training and the right equipment, even the cat can go outdoors and walk with a leash and harness, just like dogs do. Or he can become a gentle tool to make push-ups, lunges or squats more complex.
Moreover, Kitty is naturally agile and flexible, making him a perfect mat companion in yoga practice. It will be fantastic for lovers of these sly felines to practise ‘asanas’ under the curious eyes of their pets, who will also be able to show off their skills!
It is no coincidence that Cat Yoga Centres have sprung up in the USA. These are an evolution of the ‘neko cafés’. In these places, cat lovers can relax or enjoy various activities with their cats.
Doga
Alternatively, Doga was born for dog and yoga lovers. This neologism indicates the practice of yoga with one’s dog (dog + yoga) that provides considerable benefits. Some are reduced anxiety and stress, strengthened bonding between dog and owner, and increased self-esteem.
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