Dog owners get so many benefits from their four-legged friends. Our dogs help reduce our stress levels, combat loneliness, improve our heart health, and relieve the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms. But they can also help us get in shape.
Keep reading to see how your dog can help you get in shape for summer!
Dogs Need Lots of Exercise
Instead, use your canine companion’s needs to motivate you. It’s like how having a human workout buddy helps keep you accountable because you’re doing the same for them.
How Many Calories Do You Burn Walking Your Dog?
Now, let’s say that your dog is tiny and can only walk for 30 minutes a day – in that case, you can carry your dog for the other 30 minutes. The first 30 minutes of walking burns 107 calories, then the next 30 minutes carrying a 15-lb. dog burns about 179 calories.
That’s a total of 286 calories burned every day! Which adds up to 2,002 calories a week, 8,008 calories a month, and the equivalent of over 2 pounds of fat burned.
On the other hand, if you have a larger dog that needs two hours of walking per day, you can double the initial figures. So, you’d burn 2,954 calories a week, 11,816 calories a month, and nearly 3.5 pounds of fat a month!
How to Start Getting in Shape with Your Dog
The best way to do this is to ask your regular veterinarian. If your dog is overweight or inactive, find out how your vet would recommend building up to the ideal amount of walking time. And remember to ask if you need to feed your dog more to account for your walks (you probably will if you dramatically increase their activity levels).
Then, check with your doctor if you have any existing health conditions or do not usually exercise this much. Make sure you’re cleared to walk as much as your dog needs to walk.
Instead, you might walk your dog for 30 minutes in the morning and 1 hour in the evening. And now you’re exercising twice daily for over 10 hours a week!
Taking it to the Next Level: Running and Jogging
While you can find a running or jogging plan to follow, you can also just play around with adding it to your walks. Get yourself some running shoes suitable for the terrain you walk on (e.g., concrete, trails, etc.), and add short bouts of running to your daily walks.
For example, on an hour-long walk, you might:
- Walk for 10 minutes
- Jog for 3 minutes
- Walk for 2 minutes
- Jog for 3 minutes
- Walk for 12 minutes
- Repeat
Dealing with Hot Weather
You may also want to consider walking on dirt trails instead of concrete if you live in an area with lots of sun. As a rule, if the sidewalk, sand, or ground is too hot for you to keep your hand on for 60 seconds straight, it’s too hot for your dog’s paws.
Hiking trails are an excellent option for summer days, as the dirt is often cooler, and there are usually spots of shade.
Kailo Can Help You Keep Up With Your Dog
Remember to apply your Kailo Pain Patch before each walk with your dog to make it easier to get the exercise both of you need. The Kailo Pain Patch is designed to relieve pain in seconds and doesn’t involve any oral painkillers! And in a recent clinical study, 99% of patients felt pain relief with Kailo within 10 minutes.
Disclaimer: Kailo should not be used if you have a pacemaker or are pregnant. Always consult your doctor or health care professional before using Kailo.
