Just like people, dogs are facing an obesity epidemic. In fact, research shows that 40% of dogs are overweight. Believe it or not, many owners aren’t even sure what is a healthy weight for their dogs, and think they look too thin when they can still stand to lose a few pounds. Keeping your dogs at a healthy weight is imperative to them living long, happy lives. This is the case with people, and some of us are far more in-tune with our health than others. Whether you’re a dog or a person, the answer is always the same to maintaining a healthy weight – pay close attention to diet and exercise. It’s easier said than done, we know. But while you’re likely to get on board feeding your pooch and appropriate diet, you might find yourself stuck getting into the exercise portion, too!
The good news is that there’s a great program out there called Couch to 5k. Couch to 5k is for people, and it does exactly as it sounds – gets you off the couch and running a 5k! It’s a 9 week program that teaches you to listen to your body and to keep pushing from small, short runs to a full 5k distance.
So what does this have to do with dogs? Well, since our dogs are mostly overweight, they could probably use some running. That’s why we’re so excited to find the Pooch to 5k program, which consists of the exact same steps tailored to our dogs! Pooch to 5k was created by a veterinarian who wanted to get overweight dogs out there exercising and staying healthy. Instead of the 9 weeks for Couch to 5k, Pooch to 5k is a 12 week program, which means you might enjoy this one more than the program specifically for people.
In the first week of the program, you’ll start slow to make sure your dog doesn’t get any exercise-related injuries. You’ll start with a 5-minute brisk walk as a warm up, followed by 1 minute of jogging and 90 seconds of walking. You’ll do the jog-walk routine a total of 8 times totaling 20 minutes for your overall workout. From there, you’ll increase the work slowly during the 12 weeks until you and your pooch can run a full 30 minutes without walking breaks!
Be sure to listen to your dog. He isn’t able to talk to you, but make sure to check feet and paw pads after every run to make sure he hasn’t injured anything. If you see your pup limping, make sure to take a few days off or get him checked out by a veterinarian. In fact, you should probably schedule a vet check-up before you start the Pooch to 5k program to make sure it’s safe for your pup to begin running. As always, make sure to have plenty of fresh water available and avoid very hot weather to keep your pup hydrated and safe.
We highly recommend the Pooch to 5k program, and suggest you visit their website here to get the full details on the steps in the program and other helpful information. You’ll find articles related to obesity in dogs as well as keeping your pet safe during your training. After you’re done, be sure to sign up and run a 5k with your pup and tell us all about it!
