Humans and dogs aren’t so different, we both eat when we are bored and we both can put on weight when there is so much time and nothing to do. Both you and your pets need to be Active and while dogs whom overindulge in Food somehow seem to be even cuter, unfortunately for us humans this doesn’t apply.  From the small cavalier king charles, to the larger golden retriever, all pets need regular exercise.

If you and your dog are at the point where you both would rather lay down than go out for a Walk or run around the park, then it is a sign that you both need to be more active. Fortunately for both you, the hardest part is getting off the couch and starting your new active lifestyle, once you get into a routine it will become much easier.

Diet

In fact, this is the time that you should start getting more serious about your diet. Start by reducing the amount of food you and your dog eat each day. Switch out the junk food for healthy alternatives. For humans and pets alike, a good example is instead of eating high carb or fatty foods after a walk or run, try having one of these weight management smoothies that you can also share with your dog.

Additionally, instead of feeding your dog its normal food, try buying one of those high fiber, low calorie prepackaged dog food.  You might want to find food specific to your dog’s breed, for instance if you have golden retriever, you would want to find formulated dog food for golden retrievers and larger breeds, and the same goes for medium and smaller breeds.  While they are a bit more expensive than the normal feed, it can certainly help your dog lose weight. But enough about you and yours dogs diet, let’s get into the different ways you both can start exercising to get fit.

Go for a walk or a run on the beach

One of the best ways to start you off on being more active is by taking a walk in a scenic place like a beach. Not only is the salt in the air good for your health, but also the sand and water can help vary the exercises intensity. As running on wet sand is easier then running in a low amount of sea water or running on loose sand. Different terrains can increase the intensity of the exercise for both you and your dog. If you two are new to exercising start off with a walk on the wet sand then once you build up your fitness make your way up to walking or running on the other surfaces.  A water resistant collar could be a good investment. It is great for beach adventures and it won’t have that permanent “wet dog odor”. Just rinse it off, and you’re good to go.

Go for a swim

Bring along a tennis ball and find a clean body of water that you and your dog can swim in. Throwing the ball in the water and going for a swim yourself can increase your fitness and can also help strengthen and tone your back and your dog’s legs. Make sure you two are drinking enough water throughout the day and after your swim.

Play fetch outside

This is one of the oldest and easiest ways to get you both active. Walk down to your nearest dog friendly park and play fetch with one of the many dog toys that I’m sure you already have. Alternatively I always like to bring a Frisbee or tennis ball and do a few walking or running laps of the park while actively engaging in play time.

In a nutshell, diet and exercise are the combination that will lead you and your pet to a path and future of healthiness, enhancing and extending both your lives for many more years to come.