Get into the habit of dog fitness

Exercise like you mean it

A nice, long walk with your dog is all well and good, but it’s not exercise. If you stop to let him sniff every tree and lamppost, he’s not getting the benefits of a real workout. Learning the difference between walking for weight loss and walking for fun is simple, and it starts with determination.

Make a decision to exercise your dog the minute you leave the house. Draw his leash close to you, no more than four feet away. Start out at a brisk pace and – here’s the catch – don’t slow down. Don’t stop. Don’t let him smell flowers or trees, even when he’s resisting. Instead, tighten the leash (take care not to jerk it) and command him to “Stop.” or “Come here.” If your walk is purposeful, your dog will pick up on it and learn that it’s different from a normal stroll. A tip: if you’re breaking out into a sweat, chances are your dog’s feeling the burn too.

Change things around

A great new habit for keeping your dog’s weight in check is to move the food bowl. This won’t be just a simple pick-up-and-put-down – we’re talking about a new feeding setup designed to keep your dog in motion. Start by moving his food bowl upstairs or downstairs, or to a different side of the house. You’ll notice that your dog will soon get used to this new location and start lingering or laying near the bowl. The moment you spot this happening, move it again. Make a habit of moving the bowl around regularly to stop your dog becoming sedentary.

Change is also welcome in your dog’s toys. Just like people, pets can grow tired and disinterested with the toys they play with day after day, so if you’d like to pique his interest all over again, look into some new playthings for your dog.