Canine fitness is one of my favorite topics to learn about and discuss! Just like human fitness, there is a wealth of information about why fitness is important or even how specific exercises work certain muscles. Many people have an understanding that human fitness is important but they may not be familiar with canine fitness. What exactly does it entail? Dogs weight lifting at a puppy gym? Not quite, although that might be super cute! Check out “What is Canine Fitness” to learn about canine fitness!
Now that we understand what canine fitness is, how do we start incorporating it for our dogs? Before starting any fitness program (dog or human), it’s important to discuss it with a health professional to prevent injury. There are a bunch of other things to consider before starting too. Watch “Ten Tips for Starting a Fitness Program for Your Dog” to learn more!
There is something extra special about kayaking with your dog. I have fond memories of paddling up a quiet, slow-moving brook with Peter while watching the wildlife traverse the creek bank. Such a peaceful feeling! For Peter, he loves to air scent along our aqueous pathway and tends to take a spontaneous dip in the water at least once during our adventure.
But how to you start kayaking with your canine companion? Peter and I have spent a lot of time playing training games to ensure he knows exactly what to do when boarding, riding, and then disembarking the kayak. Because of these fun games, our kayak trips are effortless and enjoyable! Watch “How to Train Your Dog to Kayak: The Foundation” to learn how we did it and get started with your own pup!
Like many people, I started some unhealthy habits during the COVID-19 pandemic and struggled to get back to a healthy lifestyle. These unhealthy decisions were negatively impacting my ability to enjoy the outdoors with my Beagle, Peter. One day, I was talking to my sister and expressed how overwhelmed I was with my health challenges. Because I’m a dog trainer, I relate just about everything to dog training, even the challenges I experience in life! With my sister’s support and encouragement, I began to look at my behavior and found that I gave myself little to no reinforcement for healthy choices.
How could I look at my own behavior through my dog training lens? How could I effectively reward myself for healthy choices? Find out in “How to Build a Healthy Lifestyle through Positive Reinforcement”!
In the summer of 2020, a good friend suggested that I create an award program through Outdoor Dog specifically for children. We both had realized how hard the COVID-19 pandemic was on children. Giving kids something fun to do with their dogs might be beneficial to their physical and mental health. Through that conversation, Adventure Puppy was born!
Adventure Puppy was created to provide fun titling opportunities for kids. Outdoor Dog couldn’t stop there though! The program is also geared towards puppies, who often cannot participate in other dog sports until they are older. After developing the program, it was too much fun to only allow kids and pups to participate. Although the program is geared towards human and canine youth, anyone of any age can join in the fun!
The program includes three unique titling categories: Jolly Pup, Pioneer Pup, and Studious Pup.
Jolly Pup
Jolly Pup is all about having fun! If you like playing games or providing enrichment activities to your dog, Jolly Pup is for you! Participants can earn awards by logging their fun activities such as toy play, food puzzles/toys, the Indoor Dog enrichment activities and more!
Jolly Pup brings the fun to Adventure Puppy!
Pioneer Pup
Pioneer Pup is for those who are explorers at heart! Similar to the regular Outdoor Dog titles, participants can submit their fun outdoor adventures to earn awards. Age-appropriate walks, hikes, water play, exploratory sniff time, and more count towards your Pioneer Pup titles.
Get ready for adventure with Pioneer Pup!
Studious Pup
Love to learn? At Outdoor Dog, we do too! That’s why Studious Pup has been included in the Adventure Puppy titling program. Participants can earn awards by reading books, attending courses, and even having a dog training session!
Read your way to awards with Studious Pup!
Join the Fun!
For more information about Adventure Puppy and to join the fun, check out the Outdoor Dog Facebook Group for the guidelines (in the files section). I cannot wait to hear about your Adventure Puppy experiences!
At Outdoor Dog, we all love to be outside with our canine companions. Sometimes bad weather or health concerns prevent us from enjoying our favorite activities in nature. The Indoor Dog YouTube series provides fun games to play with your Outdoor Dog when you are unable to go outside. Visit our YouTube channel and try these creative games with your dog today! Remember to subscribe to the channel to keep up-to-date on all the exciting, new content!
