Exercising with your dog
Since Musher came into my life, it's my dog who inspires me to write new articles in EmmèneTonChien.com's Mag'. rating Montpellier ! We do canicross with our favorite canipotos club and this outing inspired me for an idea for an article! At first, I didn't know exactly how to prepare my dog for sports, but after several years of practice and many exchanges with enthusiasts and other Wouafer's, I can now share my experience with you and give you 5 tips to learn how to exercise with your dog! In this article, we are going to talk about equipment, food supplements for dogs and food, course of a session, course and training ground...
First of all, playing sports with your dog is great! It clears your head, it allows you to meet people, it keeps you in shape, it allows you to discover new places and it strengthens the bond with your dog BUT for a successful sports session, it must be shared with your dog. Don't force him to do a sport he doesn't like. Don't force him to play sports if he doesn't like it. Respect your dog, his desires, his motivations and his limits and you will be sure to share Wouafement Bien sports sessions! Ready to put on your sneakers for canicross, canivtt, skijoring, caniraquettes, canipaddle?
1 – Playing sports with your dog: an adapted diet
Whether it's a water sport like canoeing, paddle boarding, surf or even a traction sport like canicross, canivtt or caniskate or a winter sport like skijoring, cani-racket or sled : playing sports with your dog is always a moment of happiness. When you exercise, you adapt your diet. You don't go for a run with a full belly and in full digestion and you don't come back from a session sitting down in front of a big squeegee... Follow the same logic for your dog and adapt his diet to the sport you want to practice with him.
Every dog is different. The ration, on the other hand, must take into account several parameters:
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your dog's breed
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your dog's weight
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your dog's age
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the physical activity that your dog does on a daily basis
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your dog's metabolism
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any health issues your dog may have
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the weather: the colder it is, the more calories it expends to produce heat, for example on winter sports holidays. You eat less in summer, your dog too.
It will of course be necessary to adapt the ration of your dog if he is athletic. It goes without saying that an agility champion dog will burn a lot more calories than a couch-squatter dog. He will therefore need a diet richer in protein and a larger ration.
To adapt your dog's ration, check with your veterinarian. He can tell you the ideal croquettes and the dose adapted to the rhythm of life of your four-legged friend. Always make sure he has a balanced diet.
The dog is generally very attached to his eating habits, it is important to give him his ration at a fixed time. Indeed, the meal is a real ritual for him.
I also draw your attention to stomach twists in dogs, which are often fatal. Small dogs are less subject to the phenomenon but to avoid any danger I recommend that you do not feed your dog 2 hours before playing sports. After your sports session, wait 2 hours after exercise to feed it. His stomach must be calm during the effort.
2 – Playing sports with your dog: your dog’s health above all
Go running with your dog, yes! Going for a cani-vtt outing with your dog, yes! Go on a cani-hike, yes! Just like a human, a dog that plays sports must have iron health. To follow you in your outings and adventures, your dog must be in good shape. Before leaving for big sporting outings, make sure he lacks nothing. In addition to making sure your dog is getting a healthy, balanced diet, some veterinarians recommend dog food supplements, also known as complementary foods.
What are dietary supplements used for? Dietary supplements are concentrated sources of nutrients. Vitamins or mineral salts, they are used to compensate for the lacks that we may have. It is common that we take supplements to have beautiful hair, to regain a little energy via a vitamin C cure, to keep our tanned complexion after a holiday in the sun, to strengthen our immune defenses in winter or after a treatment based on antibiotics… In short, as humans, we often use food supplements. Did you know? There are also some for our dogs.
Certain pathologies can be treated or soothed by food supplements for dogs. Alternative medicine also applies to dogs. Declining vitality, dull coat, constipation, arthritis, diarrhoea, reinforcement of the immune defences, deworming… food supplements are an alternative to over-medication.
Some dietary supplements are also specially designed for sporting dogs. It's up to you to find the supplement that will meet his needs. Take stock with your veterinarian who will be able to advise you and help you in the right dosage.
I think it is important to give priority to natural organic food supplements for dogs. The Veto Compagnon website offers a range of dog food supplements designed and manufactured in France. They even have an organic range! On each product offered, you will find a label indicating the health objective of the product and what stage of life it is recommended for your animal. An example ? The organic vitality tonicity complex which serves to strengthen your dog's immune defenses and which can be given for the entire life of your pet.
3 – Equip your dog from head to paws!
When you go running with your dog, or practice another sport with your dog for that matter, it is important to be well equipped. No question of going running in sandals and a skirt. When you play sports, you put on sneakers and appropriate clothing. For your dog, it's the same logic...
When I go running with my labrador, I equip it with a traction harness adapted to our sport and its morphology. No question of using his collar and a leash!!! It is totally unsuitable for the comfort and especially the safety of your dog. In winter, I also equip it with luminous and reflective accessories so that it is visible at night. I tell you more about it in the article Running at night with your dog.
As for my equipment, as said before, I have a complete outfit with good running shoes, a trail bag and a water bag containing enough water for both of us. In my bag, I always carry a soft bowl for Musher. I put on my harness or my canicross belt connected to my dog's traction harness by an elastic lanyard. Also remember to prepare the first aid kit for your dog in case of a glitch.
When you play sports with your dog, remember to take your phone to be able to warn in case of emergency! And of course remember to have it charged before leaving...
Then you can add some accessories like a connected watch for example.
4 – Warm up: it's essential!
A good warm-up is essential to practice a sport with your dog. Both for your dog and for you!
The warm-up allows the muscles to enter the effort gently. The capillaries will expand and the body temperature will rise. The increase in this body temperature will help the chemical reactions that create energy! Well, it's a bit theoretical, but it's the reality. It happens exactly the same way for your dog's metabolism! A good warm-up allows you to reduce the risk of tears or other injuries such as strains. This is a step not to be overlooked! Neither for you nor for your dog.
I belong to a club canicross. When we meet on Wednesday evening, all the dogs are over-excited. When we leave, they start like arrows at full speed. I can tell you that if you're not warmed up, at the first stone that's a little wobbly on the way, it's guaranteed injury… We always start the session with 10 minutes of active walking. These 10 minutes are enough but are essential for a successful sports session with your dog! These 10 minutes of warm-up can also be supplemented by 5 minutes of relaxation.
I will finish on this part by reminding you that 10 short minutes of warming up are better than 3 months off after an injury... Right? To meditate 😉
5 – Make sure the course is suitable for your dog
Before playing sports with my dog, I always check my route! In some places, dogs are prohibited… it would be a shame to arrive there, motivated, and to have to turn around because access to your dog is prohibited.
Also check the condition of the route and adjust it according to your dog's abilities: number of kilometres, gradients, dangerous passages... If you have an old, young, unsportsmanlike, overweight dog, the route and duration must be adapted accordingly. Playing sports should remain a pleasure for your dog, so there's no question of giving him a bad experience that could traumatize him... Musher has terrible vertigo, no way of taking him with me on trails when I know I need to pass in places on the edge of the cliff…
The choice of your sporting path is therefore an essential step to think about beforehand. To find new courses, I advise you to get information on the internet in advance, to ask advice from your relatives or even to ask for advice on facebook groups dedicated to sport. If you have little information on the chosen route, it is safer to go and locate it upstream on the ground before taking your dog there 😉
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I hope that these few tips have helped you to see a little more clearly about playing sports with your dog! We have to admit that our doggies are often an additional motivation to get off the couch and do some physical exercise... Exercising with your dog is really a great experience provided you pay attention to his health and listen to their needs!
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