How to Create a Weekly Workout Routine With Your Dog
You already make time to walk your dog. You might even take them hiking on weekends or enjoy an occasional game of fetch at the park.
But what if you could get more out of the time you already spend together?
What if your dog's daily activity could become part of your own fitness routine?
For many dog owners, finding time for exercise is difficult. Between work, family, errands and everyday responsibilities, fitting in a workout can feel like another commitment you simply don't have time for.
Meanwhile, your dog still needs physical activity, mental stimulation and quality time with you.
The solution isn't necessarily finding more hours in the day. It's finding smarter ways to use the time you already have.
With a little planning, you can create a weekly workout routine that incorporates your fitness goals and your dog's exercise needs.
And with the help of the 6 Legs Fitness app, getting active together can become something you both look forward to.
Why Create a Workout Routine With Your Dog?
Consistency is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to maintaining a fitness routine.
You might have good intentions on Monday, but by Wednesday, work gets busy, the weather changes and your workout gets pushed aside.
Having a dog can provide an excellent reason to get moving.
Your dog depends on you for daily activity. Instead of treating their exercise and your fitness as two separate responsibilities, you can start combining them.
A regular routine can help you:
Increase your daily physical activity.
Improve cardiovascular fitness and endurance.
Build strength and mobility.
Give your dog appropriate physical exercise.
Provide opportunities for mental stimulation.
Strengthen your relationship with your dog.
Develop healthier habits that are easier to maintain.
The secret is finding activities that work for both of you.
Your dog doesn't need to perform your exercises, and you don't need to turn every dog walk into an intense workout. You simply need to make movement part of your shared lifestyle.
How to Build a Weekly Workout Routine With Your Dog
You don't need an expensive gym membership, complicated equipment or hours of free time.
Start with activities you enjoy and gradually build a routine that fits your lifestyle.
Here is an example of how you could structure a week.
Monday: Walking and Cardio
Start the week with a purposeful walk.
Rather than taking the same short route every day, explore a different neighbourhood, park or trail.
For your own workout, incorporate periods of brisk walking where appropriate.
For example:
5 minutes of comfortable walking.
5 minutes of brisk walking.
5 minutes of comfortable walking.
5 minutes of brisk walking.
Finish with a relaxed walk.
Your dog gets an opportunity to explore, exercise and experience different environments
while you work on your cardiovascular fitness.
Tuesday: Strength Training
You don't have to leave your dog at home to complete a strength workout.
Find a safe outdoor space or work out at home while your dog relaxes nearby.
Try incorporating:
Squats
Lunges
Push-ups
Planks
Glute bridges
Calf raises
Your dog can enjoy some relaxed activity before or after your workout.
You can also incorporate short training sessions that encourage your dog to settle calmly while you exercise.
Wednesday: Hiking and Outdoor Exploration
Midweek is a great opportunity to change your surroundings.
A hike provides cardiovascular exercise for you while allowing your dog to experience new terrain, smells and environments.
Look for trails appropriate for your dog's physical abilities.
Remember that hiking intensity should be increased gradually, particularly if your dog is not accustomed to longer distances.
Thursday: Mobility and Active Recovery
Not every workout needs to be intense.
Recovery is important for both humans and dogs.
Try a shorter, relaxed walk combined with your own stretching and mobility exercises.
You could include:
Gentle stretching.
Hip mobility.
Shoulder mobility.
Balance exercises.
Light bodyweight movements.
Your dog can enjoy a relaxed walk and some calm time with you.
Friday: Walk-Run Intervals
If you and your dog are physically ready, Friday can be a good opportunity to incorporate some walk-run intervals.
Start with a comfortable walking pace and gradually introduce short jogging intervals.
For example:
Walk for 3 minutes.
Jog for 1 minute.
Walk for 3 minutes.
Jog for 1 minute.
Repeat according to your fitness level and your dog's abilities.
Not every dog is suited to running, so consider age, breed, health, fitness and physical development before introducing this type of activity.
Saturday: Adventure Day
Make Saturday your opportunity to do something different.
Consider:
Exploring a new hiking trail.
Visiting a dog-friendly park.
Taking a longer outdoor walk.
Exploring a new neighbourhood.
Playing active games together.
Trying a new fitness challenge.
The objective is to make being active something you enjoy rather than something you feel obligated to do.
Sunday: Rest and Reset
Give yourself and your dog an opportunity to recover.
A relaxed walk, gentle activity and mental enrichment can help round out the week.
Use Sunday to think about what worked, what you enjoyed and what you would like to change for the following week.
Remember, this is an example schedule, not a requirement to exercise intensely every day.
Your dog's activity should be adjusted to their individual needs, with appropriate rest and recovery.
You Don't Need to Spend Hours Exercising
One of the biggest misconceptions about fitness is that you need to dedicate an hour or more every day to make progress.
You don't.
Shorter, consistent workouts can be a practical way to build an active lifestyle.
If you only have 15 or 20 minutes between work commitments, use that time.
A short workout followed by a purposeful walk with your dog can be a great way to get moving.
For busy professionals, parents, shift workers and anyone balancing multiple responsibilities, combining activities can make a significant difference.
Instead of scheduling separate time for yourself and your dog, look for opportunities to do
more together.
How Your Dog Benefits From a More Active Lifestyle
Your dog needs more than food, shelter and occasional trips outside.
Appropriate physical exercise, mental stimulation, structure and positive shared experiences all contribute to a healthy canine lifestyle.
Regular activity can help support:
Healthy weight management.
Muscle development and endurance.
Joint mobility.
Mental engagement.
Confidence in different environments.
Healthy outlets for energy.
A stronger relationship with their owner.
It's also important to understand that more exercise isn't always better.
A young puppy, senior dog, brachycephalic breed or dog recovering from an injury will have different activity requirements.
For more information, read our guide on How Much Exercise Does My Dog Need?.
Get Your FREE 7-Day Workout With Your Dog Challenge!
Ready to turn your dog's daily exercise into an opportunity to improve your own fitness?
We've created a FREE 7-Day Workout With Your Dog Challenge to help you get started.
Inside, you'll discover:
Seven days of activities you can enjoy together.
Walking, strength training, cardio and mobility exercises.
Simple ways to incorporate your dog into your fitness routine.
A weekly progress tracker to keep you motivated.
Whether you're just getting started or already enjoy an active lifestyle, this challenge will help you build healthier habits with your four-legged workout partner.
Download your FREE challenge and get moving!
Make Your Workouts More Interesting With 6 Legs Fitness
This is where we wanted to take the idea of exercising with your dog a step further.
We created 6 Legs Fitness because we believe getting healthy shouldn't mean choosing between your own fitness goals and spending quality time with your dog.
Most fitness programs focus on the human.
Most dog activity programs focus on the dog.
We wanted to bring the two together.
6 Legs Fitness is an app designed to help people and their dogs build healthier, more active lifestyles together.
Whether you're a beginner, someone returning to fitness or someone who already enjoys working out, the app gives you another way to incorporate your dog into your active lifestyle.
What Can You Do With 6 Legs Fitness?
With 6 Legs Fitness, you can discover:
Guided fitness activities and workouts.
Fitness challenges to keep you motivated.
Opportunities to track your progress.
Activities suitable for different fitness levels.
New ways to make movement part of your daily routine.
The idea is simple: make fitness something you share with your dog.
You can use it to help build consistency, discover new activities and create healthier habits together.
Fitness Without Borders
Your location shouldn't determine whether you can enjoy an active lifestyle with your dog.
That's why 6 Legs Fitness is available in six languages:
English
French
Spanish
German
Portuguese
Japanese
Whether you're exercising in Canada, Mexico, Europe or somewhere else in the world, you can bring your six-legged workout partner along.
Visit www.6legsfitness.com to discover the app and get started. It's free for the first 14 days.
Don't Forget About Training While Exercising With Your Dog
At Hustle Up Dog Training, we believe an active dog should also be a well-mannered dog.
Getting outside and exercising together creates opportunities to develop better communication, leash manners, impulse control and confidence.
For example, your dog should be able to walk beside you without constantly pulling, settle while you complete an exercise and navigate different environments without becoming
difficult to manage.
Exercise and training complement one another.
A physically active dog still needs structure, boundaries and guidance.
Our approach to dog training focuses on developing skills that you can use in everyday life, whether you're walking through your neighbourhood, exploring a local trail or enjoying an outdoor adventure.
The goal is to have a dog you can confidently include in more of your lifestyle.
Start Your Six-Legged Fitness Routine Today
You don't need to completely change your schedule to become more active.
You don't need to choose between going to the gym and spending time with your dog.
You don't need to wait until Monday, next month or the new year.
Start with a walk. Add a few exercises. Explore a new trail. Build a routine that works for both of you.
Your dog already has a reason to get moving every day.
Now you have another reason too.
Ready to make fitness part of your life with your dog?
Discover 6 Legs Fitness and start building a healthier, stronger and more active lifestyle together.
And if you want help developing a dog who can confidently join you on everyday adventures, explore Hustle Up Dog Training.
One Team. Six Legs. Endless Possibilities.
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