Make exercise fun with your best friend

How many times have you told yourself you're heading out to get your exercise done early, only to bail on yourself due to lack of motivation? "It's too hot", "it's too cold", "oh I'll do it later" (and then of course later never comes).

Whether you've had a dog for as long as you can remember, or have a pandemic puppy, even the laziest of furry best friends, are eager to please and be your exercise pal.

Remember exercise doesn't have a definition - if you like walking that's fab, or if the gym is your thing, more power to you. As long as you're moving, you're doing exercise and improving your health. So here are our top tips for exercising with your other best friend:

Stand up paddle boarding/kayaking

No, your dog won't drown! For extra security, you can also grab a little life jacket from somewhere like BCF. Some dogs are going to be more keen on this than others. Kayaking and SUPs are a fantastic way to build core strength and cardio by the water, and what's more, you can jump in for a swim afterwards to cool off. Meanwhile, imagine that smiling face out front 'navigating' and cheering you on!

Swimming

Keeping in with the water theme, some breeds of dog love the water more than others. We are fortunate in Australia to be girt by sea (and rivers), in abundance. Whether you're swimming or using the water as extra resistance by walking/running through it, it makes for a great way to exercise through summer and stay cool at the same time.

Bushwalking

A little trickier because dogs aren't allowed in National Parks in Australia, but there are still plenty of trails where they can hike with us. All Trails is a good starting point for dog friendly walks in Australia.

Running

So you enjoy running but struggle to find the motivation to get going? Well, if your dog is anything like mine, he will give you a run for your money. There's no slacking off when you run with a dog, and what's more is they will likely give you a push as good as any personal trainer, to dig a little deeper. If it's your first time running, start off with short distances. Maybe you'll run up a hill and then walk it out, before you run a few metres again.