Before we get started, here’s just a little bit about me. I teach fitness and yoga classes for people with their dogs, as well as “canine-only” fitness classes. I am a Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer, as well as a human personal trainer and yoga instructor. It has only been a few days since my last in-person class and I miss both my human and canine clients already!⁣⁣ Let’s get started.

Warm up: Dynamic side-to-side lunge and weave

• Bend your right knee, then put a treat in front of your dog’s nose and guide them to circle around your right foot.
• Bend your left knee, then lure your dog to circle around your left foot.
• Continue alternating lunging side-to-side while your dog does a figure eight between your legs.

This exercise helps to warm up the human’s entire body (especially the hip flexors), while also warming up the dog’s entire body (specifically the muscles around their spine).

Recommended repetitions: Dog weaves between both legs five times (five lunges each side).

Push-up and shake a paw

• Perform a full push-up or a push-up from your knees, then come up into a high plank and ask your dog to shake a paw.
• Try to avoid rotating your body too much from side to side.
• Remember to alternate both hands and paws to prevent muscular imbalances.

Recommended repetitions: Three sets of five to 10 push-ups.

Side plank

• Set up in a side plank from your hands and knees, and throw a treat in the space underneath your body to encourage your dog to run underneath you.
• For a harder version, set up for side plank with your feet and legs stacked. Use a treat to lure your dog to jump over your legs!

Recommended repetitions: 30 seconds on each side, repeated three times.

V-sit

• Set up into a v-sit and use a treat to lure your dog to jump over, or crawl underneath your legs.
• A modified version is to have one leg on the ground and ask your dog to come between your legs.  Remember to alternate legs to work both sides evenly!

Recommended repetitions: 30 seconds on each side, repeated three times.

Glute bridge

• Lie on the floor with your knees bent.
• Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips up, then lure your dog to jump over or crawl underneath your legs.
• Bring your bum back down to the mat and repeat.

Recommended repetitions: Three sets of 10.

Cool down: Low lunge / hip flexor stretch

• Kneel on one knee, then bring your opposite foot forward with a bent knee.
• Lure your dog to crawl underneath your forward leg.

Recommended repetitions: One-minute stretch on each side.