If you’re like most people, when the days start to get shorter and the weather gets cooler, you can find it harder to get motivated to exercise. There are many reasons for that.

Firstly, if you like to exercise outdoors, you might find it’s dark when you get up or when you get home from work. That might be a good excuse for you to give your exercise routine a miss. But there’s still the weekends or your days off!

Secondly, it can be very tempting to stay under the doona in the morning when it’s cold!

And thirdly, a lot of us are tempted to let ourselves go over the cooler months. After all, we’re often rugged up, so putting on a few extra kilos through lack of exercise mightn’t be as noticeable.

But deep down you know that you shouldn’t let yourself go. Doing that will just make it harder for you to get back in shape.

What you need is a motivated training partner to keep you accountable all-year round. And the good news is that if you have a dog, you have one! No matter what time of year it is, their tail will still wag as strongly when it comes to spending time being active with you.

So make the most of your dedicated training partner! They’ll help you to burn the calories you need to.

Some practicalities

Before you begin an exercise   program with your pooch though, it’s important to check with your vet. Ask them about the training intensity that’s appropriate for the type of dog you have and it’s age. 

It doesn’t have to be a chore!

Once you get the all clear from you vet, you can of course do standard exercise routines like walking and running. If you do, make sure you vary the places you go to keep things interesting for both of you.

You can also mix it up even more so neither of you ever get bored. For example, you can go to the park and play fetch with a ball, stick or frisbee, or you could go hiking and explore nature together. You can do these things at whatever pace suits you both.

You could also buy yourself a wetsuit and go paddleboarding or kayaking. Neither of you needs to get wet in the cooler months when the water is cold.

How we can help

If you have the right equipment, exercising with your buddy will be a great experience for both of you. At DOOG, we have a great range of products, including:

• our innovative and award-winning walking and running belts, so you can take anything you need with you and keep your hands free.
• a selection of stylish and adjustable leads and harnesses.
• a 3-in-1 water bottle, drink insulator and water bowl, so neither of you has to go thirsty while you’re exercising.
• a pop-up bath, so your pooch can cool off after your training session! Depending on the type of dog you have, they can still get very warm when exercising, even in the cooler months. And of course, we have dog bath towels as well for you to dry them off.