Nearly 4 in 10 Italians now have a trusted 4-legged friend. Dogs and cats are by now not just an integral part of many families but also real companions for life … and sport!
Taking part in physical exercise with your pets – especially now the warmer months are here – is a real cure-all for both owners and the pets themselves! In fact studies have shown that playing sports (even more so in the company of a 4-legged friend) helps you live better, relieves stress and makes you happier.
Before starting any kind of sport with your pet (especially at competitive level) it’s clearly good practice to take it to the vet for a check-up to be sure that it’s in good health and can undergo a higher level of physical effort than usual.
But what sports can you do with your pets? Here are just a few:
1.Disc Dog. A fun and acrobatic sport that involves getting your dog to catch a frisbee. Ideal for keeping him fit and perfect for creating complete harmony between dog and owner.
2. Trekking. There’s nothing better than being out in the natural world, walking the mountain trails with your pet. Dogs can be free to run and walk with their owners. But cats too are increasingly keeping their owners company on outings. There’s a growing trend to take cats out on a leash or to carry them inside special transparent, “panoramic” backpacks.
3. Canicross. Jogging with your dog is an excellent physical workout that strengthens the bond of trust between you. In Canicross the dog runs in front of the owner, following his directional commands while wearing a comfortable padded harness attached to the owner’s belt by a 2-metre rope.
4. Bikejoring. A sport in which one or more dogs tow a bicycle that is also pedalled by the owner. This new form of exercise works with an approach and equipment similar to that used with sled dogs in Nordic countries but, with the aid of pedalling, subjects the animals to much less effort.
5. Doga (Dog Yoga). This sport has the advantage of combining the beneficial effects of Yoga with being in the company of your pet. It’s particularly suitable for puppies, elderly people and persons with attentional and social difficulties.
6. Agility Dog. The sport for dogs par excellence. It involves an obstacle course of 100 or 200 metres in length. The handler has a crucial role in this sport, with the task of directing his or her 4-legged friend around the course. There’s also a version for cat lovers: Cat Agility.
7. Dogsup. We’ve already looked at SUP in this article. Dogsup is the equivalent of SUPing, but is done together with your 4-legged friend. You can do it anywhere: at the seaside, on a lake or even on a river.
Sources:
gruppoitalianocivette.it
www.lifegate.it
www.italiaambiente.it
www.sportcinofili.it
