Activities For Football Players With Dogs
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Introduction
Football, or Soccer as it's commonly called in most parts of the United States and Australia, is often considered to be the world's most popular sport and with billions of fans all around the globe, it's very hard to argue against that claim! Some fans just love to watch a great game in motion while others love to get in on the action for themselves. We've made a number of guides containing activities that Athletes, Cyclists, Boxers, Painters, and others can try with their four legged friends, so we felt it was only natural to make a guide that will give Football loving dog owners a number of activities to try with their pets.
Jogging
Popular
0 Votes
Any Day
Free
Easy
15 to 20 min
Items needed
Water
Leash
Activity description
Let's start with a simple activity that'll build up your dog's stamina and help them learn to pace themselves during extended periods of physical activity. You and your dog can go out for a good jog during just about any time of the day and any time of the year. We recommend that you keep your dog leashed if you plan on jogging in an area that's heavily populated with other people or animals as well as keep a healthy supply of water on hand for both yourself and your dog. Perhaps the greatest part about jogging is the sense of pride you'll feel as you and your dog gradually build your stamina levels over time.
Step
1
Pick your route
You really can go for a jog just about anywhere; if you're not in the mood to head out too far away from home, you and your dog can jog around your neighborhood block or to and from a particular destination. Conversely, if you're looking for a more scenic route, beaches, parks, and running routes are all excellent options.
Step
2
Prepare
Conventional wisdom holds that it's not a bad idea to adequately stretch your muscles before engaging in any physically strenuous activities and jogging is no exception. You'll also want to dress appropriately for a jog, as trying to jog long distances in your casual clothes can make for one uncomfortable experience.
Step
3
Be consistent
At this point, you and your dog are essentially all squared away for this activity. Jogging is a great way to build up stamina, but it's also a great way to relieve any built up tension or restlessness. try to be consistent with this activity as well, going out for a jog at least once a week, in conjunction with any other physical activities you might engage in, so that you and your dog can fully reap the benefits of jogging.
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Agility Training
Popular
0 Votes
Sunny Day
Expensive
Hard
15 to 20 min
Items needed
Agility Obstacles
Hurdles
Poles
Activity description
The second activity on our list is Agility Training. This activity is often perceived as being an endeavor that's purely reserved for Dog Pageants or Obedience Schools but Agility Training is an exceptional way help your dog learn the fancy footwork needed to competently play Football. There are a number of ways you and your dog can engage in this activity; you can either contact a professional dog trainer that help you and your dog with this activity or you can go the DIY route and build a custom made obstacle course for your dog to train with from scratch.
Step
1
Set things up
Whether you choose to contact a professional or go the DIY route, you're first step will be going through the motions to set things up for your dog. Those looking to set up a session with a professional are encouraged to use the internet to find dog trainers near by, whose prices can range from $140 to $600. Dog owners looking to go the DIY route will only have to spend money on the obstacles you'd like to use, but you'll have to set everything up by hand.
Step
2
Learn the drill
Dog owners who have taken their pets to a Dog Trainer are encouraged to pay attention to the methods the trainer uses to help your dog through the course. Most trainers will likely divulge this information one way or another but be sure to take notice of the little things Dog Trainers do as well. Owners going the DIY route are encouraged to keep a log of their dogs' progress over time, noting improvements and plateau's along the way.
Step
3
Be encouraging
We didn't list Agility Training as a hard activity without reason; certain dogs take to Agility Training more than others due to a difference in breeds as well as temperaments. Certain dogs may attempt this activity and not initially find a great deal of success, causing them to potentially become discouraged. That's where you come in; remain a source of positive reinforcement for your dog whenever this activity is attempted.
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Treibball
Popular
0 Votes
Sunny Day
Cheap
Normal
15 to 20 min
Items needed
Large Ball
Yoga Ball
Football Goal
Activity description
Treibball is a relatively new and safe dog friendly sport that originated in Germany all the way back in 2003. The activity involves taking your dog to a Football field, or any wide open area where a Football goal can be properly set up, and encouraging your pet to push a large ball into a Football goal. As you can imagine, this activity is great for familiarizing dogs with Football fields as well as introducing them to the concept of pushing balls into Football goals in order to score. There's no specific type of ball you need to get in order to try this activity, other than an appropriately large enough ball.
Step
1
Get the right gear
As mentioned earlier, there's no specific ball dedicated to the sport of Treibball. So long as you have a sufficiently large enough ball for your dog to push into and out of a Football goal, you and your dog will be set. We recommend that you wear your active clothes while trying this activity with your dog, as you'll likely work up a mean sweat.
Step
2
Find the right location
As you might imagine, the best place to play Treibball with your dog would be a Football field. If you're unable to gain access to a Football, and would still like to try this activity, then fret not; the second best place to try out Treibball happens to be one of the most abundant and accessible locales in the world - a public park. Most parks have enough space for you to set up at least one Football goal and plenty of space for you and your dog to run around.
Step
3
Practice makes perfect
Now that you and your dog are all set to play the game, the only advice we have left to give is to keep practicing; Treibball is something of an unconventional game, so it may take a while for your dog or even yourself to fully take to it. But as unconventional as Treibball is, it's still a great way to learn the fundamentals of Football.
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More Fun Ideas...
Stair Running
This activity is a great way for you and your dog to build up the leg muscles that are used the most during a game of Football. To try Stair Running out, simply find a long enough flight of stairs (like those found at a sports venues or high school/ college sports arenas,) and jog up and down them at a safe yet brisk speed.
Dog Friendly Races
Another fun way to build up your dog's speed and endurance is to run a dog friendly race or marathon with them. Many of these types of events take place all the time, have low entrance fees (if any at all,) and are often held to help out charities and raise awareness on certain issues.
Conclusion
Dogs are very intelligent and versatile animals who can engage in a number of sports and activities with their human caretakers once they've developed the requisite mental and physical skills, with Football being one of the main physical activities that many dogs can learn to enjoy. Hopefully this guide will have provided you with the necessary insight to begin conditioning your dog to play; Football is a great activity for burning off the excess energy inherent in most active breeds like German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers. Moreover, we also hope that this guide has illustrated how a friendly game of Football between a dog and its owner can serve as a great means for both parties to bond.