Getting human fit using my pet sitting clients

Last weekend I was with Cooper and Ruby. They LOVE to retrieve balls. Mostly in the house instead of out in the yard where a new pool is being constructed. However, as smaller dogs, the house had a great hallway that gave them plenty of exercise. I throw, they race after it, fetch, bring back and drop it. Being that my left foot has a stress fracture, this was enough exercise for them and allowed me to rest my foot. We also did a few local walks up and down the block where I used a walking stick (praying I don’t break the bones before they’ve had a chance to heal.) 

Now I’m sitting with little Kiera, a tiny puppy, poodle. She has a TON of energy and loves to jump over things, on and off furniture, wants to pull and tug and definitely loves chasing anything I can throw. After eating, I don’t like to give animals too much activity because I want the stomach to settle. However, we were playing on the floor (watching my foot here) with her stuffed elephant. Mostly tugging and hiding it so she can find it. 

As we’re playing, I realized that I was getting a pretty good workout. I would feel my muscles activating when we are tugging. And when I hid the toy in between my legs (right above the knee) and clamped down, when Keira started trying to release the toy, I was getting some active resistance work in my thighs. “wow, this is cool” I thought! 

She was jumping over and under my bent legs which activated her “hunting” instinct and I was raising and lowering my legs in a way that activated my muscles. 

Yesterday, when Keira was trying to bite my sweatshirt, I was swatting her away (playfully) and wound up doing some boxing moves - the way it would be like if I was working a hitting bag in a boxing gym. Rotating my arms in quick motions (a little "John Travolta on speed" motion here!) in clockwise, then counter clockwise, gave me a cardio workout while sitting on the couch and Keira was having so much fun trying to get my arms to stop moving! 

With some dogs, just pulling a toy and lifting the dog (depending on how strong the grip is - I wouldn’t do this with dogs with dental issues!) will activate great bicep muscles.... I do curls... making sure I do it with both arms to keep the muscle development balanced. 

Of course the obvious exercise with animals is to go out and run with them. Herding chickens a few weeks ago was an unexpected cardio workout. Then again, if I was in better shape it wouldn’t have been such!! LOL Walking or jogging with dogs, riding a bicycle with a dog in tow, is good exercise for both human and animal. 

Little dog? Big cat? Lifting a pet on bent legs while my back is pressed firmly in the floor, raising and lowering the animal stimulates muscle action. depending on how I focus, I can activate my legs, glutes and core muscles. 

There are more things I’m sure I can discover. I’ll write about them. Maybe work with a trainer to write them up so other people can try them too. I have no idea if anyone would even be interested.