More Frisbee Fun!

This week I am sad to report that we did a horrible job with exercise and I definitely need to get back into a routine. Most of this week was all leash walks with a few sessions of fetch and frisbee at the park that's closest to our apartment. We also had some play time in the little off leash area in our apartment too but no big adventures. Which I'm pretty sad about!

Phoenix is still afraid to catch the hard plastic discs so we are using the fabric ones. Fabric discs don't fly very well but she does love chasing a rolling one!

Hopefully we can get back into our fitness routine soon!

Did you go on any new adventures this week?

3 Tips for Exercising Your Dog Indoors on Rainy Days!

It's raining, it's pouring.. the dogs are sort of snoring... Oh and it's flooding and we have a giant sink hole across the street, too. I know..... I know..... I'm terrible at poems. Sorry! Anyways, Happy Fit Dog Friday everyone! We've been having the worst rain ever this past week and it's not going to get any better. So what is a fit dog to do when a fit dog can't run outside because she's a princess and hates the rain?

Note: The following things are in addition to our regular training sessions. :)

Phoenix with her Buster Cube

Puzzle Toys!
Seriously puzzle toys have been our saving grace. I have a bunch of different kinds of them but the ones that roll and really get the dogs moving are the best kind for indoor fitness. When the weather is really bad, the dogs will get all their meals in puzzle toys. Having to work for their food really keeps them busy. It's also really fun watching them work the food out of them!

Phoenix with her Tiger Toy

Tug and Fetch
Luckily you can play tug anywhere and it's another great exercise and dogs love it. Phoenix is a huge fan of playing tug and she also loves fetch. They are both super easy to do and if you play the game with rules, it also becomes a training session so you work the mind and body. With tug the rules are as follows: the dog must not take the toy until they are given the cue (get it), the dog must out (drop it) when asked and the dog must not bite my hand. 

We are lucky that our apartment is a decent size for fetch.. Our place isn't huge but we do have a long hallway so I can stand from one end of the apartment and toss the toy down the hall. Fetch is fun and I like to play it with rules, too. Sometimes I will ask for a sit before I throw the toy, or I will even ask for some impulse control (making the dog wait before dashing off after the toy). 

Phoenix on her wobble board. Check out our DIY tutorial and make your own!

Wobble Boards and Other Conditioning Equipment
A few years ago we made our own wobble board (link is in the caption of the photo) and it was one of the best projects we've done. The wobble board is great for indoor exercise. It works their leg muscles and their core. My dogs love their wobble board and we use it all the time. It's also great if you want to get your dog into agility training because it helps the dog to get used to standing on stuff that moves. After using the wobble board, Zoe in particular, was not afraid to learn the teeter. With our wobble board, we practice balance and position changes, like going from sit to stand or sit to sit pretty.

We also have a fitness ball that I will put the girls up on and it works their body very similar to the wobble board but the texture is different and it helps to provide some variety in our conditioning exercises. 

What is your favorite indoor activity for your dog?

Phoenix is Silly!

So this week we didn't have a very good workout week. I had really bad vertigo for a few days. I generally get vertigo chronically (most like caused by Meniere's Disease) and when I have it, it can be crippling. Getting out of bed becomes the biggest challenge of the day because the room is just constantly spinning and my mobility is seriously compromised. It's also exhausting. Walking the girls very far just wasn't possible. They got their potty walks and my husband did chip in to help out by walking them a couple of times. He also played indoor games with them to keep them occupied. I think I am very lucky that my dogs are patient with me when I don't feel well but I always feel bad when I can't get them out as much.