Subetudeporte, a specialized portal whose main objective is the dissemination of videos by athletes, highlights in this article the benefits of going for a run with a pet.
It’s time to play sports and we don’t want to leave our pets alone; Well then, don’t do it! Going for a run with your dog has nothing but benefits for both of you; It will serve you as a wonderful motivation and by your side you will have a happy animal. ‘Bikerjoring’, ‘canicross’… Choose your sport and strengthen ties; can you ask for more? It is time to start making plans together, to share your hobbies with your dog, and yes, running can be the perfect plan for you to bond while benefiting from the general advantages of sport.
The physical benefit is important for both people and animals. Dogs are very active animals by nature and they need to burn their energy to achieve both physical and psychological balance. In fact, many behavior problems are caused by the lack of it,
since most owners do not have enough time to dedicate to the dogs and less to practice some sporting activity with them.
A tired dog is a happy dog ​​and we will surely avoid obesity, a disease that causes them many problems and we will make it socialize more with the outside, with other dogs and people. The advantages are clear; a fit dog translates into a healthy heart, resistant, with strong muscles and bones, without obesity that causes cardiovascular problems or arthritis. Humans can also add benefits, take note.
And just as we must be aware of our capacity when we choose sports and make efforts, we must also take into account the physical form in which the dog is, check that its physical condition is adequate.
It’s time to decide an activity
With the abilities of the mascot and ours clear, it is time to decide what sport we are going to practice. We can do it depending on our tastes and the possibilities of our dog.
- The ‘agility‘ is undoubtedly one of the most popular and internationally recognized. In this sport, the most intense physical activity is carried out by the dog, but it is a sport that requires a lot of training and perfect communication between the dog and its owner. This sport consists of doing a circuit full of obstacles, such as ramps, seesaws, slalom poles or tunnels.
- Canicross is a sport that requires a very good physical background and great resistance on the part of the owner and the animal. In the ‘canicross’ the dog is attached with a harness and a leash to the owner, so that they run together. It is the dog that must lead, even if the owner guides and encourages the animal.
- In the ‘bikerjoring‘ the owner rides a bicycle, and carries a leash for the dog to go by his side. The coordination of both is important to prevent falls.
- Herding’ or grazing. Although it is a very old job for some animals, lately it has become a sports practice. It consists in that the guide must direct the dog so that it moves the cattle in a certain direction. It is perhaps the most complex of the canine sports when it comes to the training that dogs need.
- ‘Freestyle’ or ‘dog dancing‘. It is a very recent sport and consists of presenting a musical choreography between the dog and its owner. It is one of the most difficult dog sports, since it takes the creativity and skills of handlers to the extreme.
- ‘Flyball‘. Probably one of the most important dog sports in America. The ‘flyball’ is a race in which two teams of 4 dogs and their respective guides compete on parallel tracks of 15.54 meters with 4 jumps. Each dog must run down the track to the ball thrower and with his paws press the pedal that launches the ball, catch it with his mouth and run back along the same track to the finish line, once it is crossed it can start its teammate, which will be repeated with each dog.
Also in the snow
- ‘Drafting‘. Developed mainly in the USA. It is also known as a trolley drag test.
- ‘Mushing‘. It is currently considered a sport, although it has been (and still is) a Nordic form of transport characterized by the use of draft dogs and skis, which was used to move quickly on snowy surfaces with a sled.
- ‘OCI‘ (Obedience International Class). It is a canine sport in which the aim is to get the dog to work together with its driver with a perfect rapport and perfection when executing the different exercises, such as going together without a leash, remote commands, sitting and lying in a group with stay at a distance, send the dog away by guiding it in one direction …
- Canine skills or ‘trickdogging‘. Canine skills is a training modality that works a multitude of exercises and activities of skill, coordination, balance, self-control and concentration in dogs, regardless of breed, age, size and / or constitution. Many of the movements come from other disciplines such as ‘agility’, obedience, or ‘freestyle’.
- ‘Discdogging / dog frisbee‘. The dog catches several ‘frisbee’ records, while doing a jumping choreography.
It will be difficult for us not to find activity to share. The possibilities are many and you just have to decide on the one that best suits both of you. In the city one of the easiest to practice is ‘canicross’, the canine version of ‘running’ that will allow you to run in the best company.
The ‘canicross‘ is a sport derived from ‘mushing‘ (the sled shot by dogs), the difference is that in the ‘canicross’ you don’t need snow; it is not practiced with a sled, but simply the runner is tied to his dog by means of a belt and a leash that is tied in turn to the dog’s harness and can be done on any terrain.
One of the main advantages of ‘canicross’ is that it can be practiced at all levels. It can be done at the amateur level, simply by sharing time, sport and experiences with your dog, signing up for low-level tests, to have fun with other practitioners or enter the leagues and compete more seriously with greater distances.
The character and morphology of our dog
Another of the main advantages of ‘canicross’ is that it is ideal for people who like to run, since they can incorporate their dog into their favorite sport. It can also be done in both urban and natural environments; requires very little infrastructure (harness, strap and belt) and depends exclusively on us, because we do not need to be part of a club or facilities as other sports require.
Simpler impossible. Now you just need to follow these tips before putting on the shoes and putting the harness on your pet.
- It is important to take into account the character and morphology of our dog. A French bulldog is not the same as a border collie for sports. There are many sports, such as ‘agility’, open to all dogs without limitation of breed or size, provided they do not suffer from disease or physical defect that makes them unable to run, jump or exercise.
- It is very important to take into account the weather conditions. We must avoid sports practices especially when temperatures are very high. Dogs eliminate heat through panting and sweat that they expel from the pads of their feet and from isolated areas with little hair, such as the belly.
You will not have to go back to training alone. There is no better incentive than enjoying your challenges with someone as important as your pet.
