Our activity with our pet does not have to be limited only to joint walks. A dog can be a great exercise companion. Doing sports together positively affects our condition and strengthens the bond between us and our pets.
When sports with your dog is a good idea
Knowing whether our dog is willing to participate in all sports activities is essential. You should not force the dog to exercise or run if it shows excellent resistance to this type of activity.
What kind of sport with a dog choose
When deciding on a specific type of dog sport, you should ensure that it is suitable for your quadruped. When choosing a discipline, consider the pet’s health, condition and character. We can consult a veterinarian if we are unsure if the selected sports type will suit our dog.
Frisbee
That is one of the most popular sports we can do with our dog. It combines fun with physical activity. To perform it, you only need a disk and a piece of free space in the garden or park. This activity has a simple scheme: the owner throws the Frisbee, and the canine catches it. This kind of sport, despite its simplicity, provides a lot of fun and joy. Discus throw positively affects the condition of the dog and its owner, developing reflexes and concentration.
Agility
This type of sport uses all kinds of obstacles, such as tunnels, slaloms, crossbars and others. The dog’s task is to overcome the track built of the above blocks quickly and accurately. The owner’s role is to guide the pet with commands and gestures. Agility mainly develops the dog’s agility, as well as his obedience to the owner.
Canicross
It is nothing more than jogging in the company of a dog. Running with a pet requires harmony and mutual trust between the owner and his pet. In this sport, a special hip belt combined with a harness for your pet is practical. That allows you to increase comfort while running.
Bikejorging
This sport discipline is similar to the previously mentioned canicross. Unlike canicros, the dog is attached with a harness only to the bike we move. We should pay particular attention to the dog’s condition for this discipline. Cycling too fast may exceed the dog’s exercise capacity.
Dog trekking
Sporting with a dog does not require much effort and commitment. Its essence is long, several-kilometre walks with your pet, usually performed at a brisk walk. This discipline is a good solution for those who, for health reasons, cannot afford intensive training and, at the same time, do not want to give up sports activity completely. In addition, dog trekking can have an extremely calming and relaxing effect on the state of mind.
Benefits of sporting with your dog
Sport is not always healthy. If we see that our pet is not eager to run or long walks together, or after such activity, it takes a long time to regenerate strength, let’s let it go. Excessive training can harm your dog’s health.
Often, however, a bit of sport significantly impacts improving our canine’s well-being. Physical activity can make your pet less lethargic and sad. The passion for sports in dogs largely depends on their temperament, so it is impossible to assume which breeds are suitable for a particular discipline in advance.
It also depends on the owner’s approach to physical activity. If he is unwilling to play sports together, you cannot expect the canine to encourage him.