{"id":209,"date":"2019-07-10T13:00:08","date_gmt":"2019-07-10T13:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/petdedicated.com\/?p=209"},"modified":"2019-07-10T13:00:08","modified_gmt":"2019-07-10T13:00:08","slug":"8-ways-dogs-are-the-best-fitness-apps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petdedicated.com\/?p=209","title":{"rendered":"8 Ways Dogs Are the Best Fitness Apps"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

The post 8 Ways Dogs Are the Best Fitness Apps<\/a> by Heather Marcoux<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n

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They\u2019re on our phones, on our wrists and sometimes they\u2019re even on our credit card statements. But are fitness apps really worth it? Probably not, if you\u2019ve already got a dog. Our canine companions can do everything these apps do, and they don\u2019t require a charging cable or a subscription.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re considering paying cash for a fitness app or gadget, you might want to sink that money into dog treats instead.<\/p>\n

Here are eight ways dogs are the best fitness apps around.<\/em><\/p>\n

1. You cannot forget them<\/h3>\n
\"Dog<\/p>\n

Unlike a fitness app, you can’t forget your dog at home. Photography \u00a9Fly_dragonfly | Getty Images.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

We humans spend all this money on fancy wristbands that prompt us to move our bodies, but do we actually remember to put them on when we wake up in the morning? No, they sit there all day tracking the nightstand\u2019s fitness. Our dogs, on the other hand, are unforgettable. Between the nudging, the barking and the early a.m. odors, they\u2019re reminding us to move before we\u2019ve even moved our heads from the pillow.<\/p>\n

2. They have everlasting batteries<\/h3>\n
\"Dogs<\/p>\n

Dogs have endless amounts of energy! Photography \u00a9-zlaki- | Getty Images.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Unlike a high-tech fitness band or smartphone full of apps, our performance-enhancing pups\u2019 batteries don\u2019t need to be plugged into a USB port each night. Puppy love is a renewable resource.<\/p>\n

3. They make you forget to count<\/h3>\n
\"Yoga\"<\/p>\n

Dogs remind you to look around and take it all in. Photography \u00a9Solovyova | Getty Images.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Look down at your wrist and your app will remind you you\u2019ve walked 2,000 steps around your neighborhood. Look down at your dog and you\u2019ll be reminded that walks should be measured in smells smelled<\/a>, butts sniffed and memories made \u2014 not in steps taken.<\/p>\n

4. They can\u2019t be dismissed<\/h3>\n

When an app on my phone alerts me that \u201ctoday is a great day for a workout\u201d I dismiss the notification. When my dog tells me \u201cnow is a good time for a walk,\u201d<\/a> I don\u2019t dare dismiss his notification. Doing so could result in a pile of poop that isn\u2019t nearly as cute as the emoji on my phone.<\/p>\n

5. They\u2019re always available for a workout<\/h3>\n
\"Dog\"<\/p>\n

Dogs are the best workout buddies! Photography \u00a9Nataba | Getty Images.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Workout classes are expensive and time-consuming, but working out alone can be boring and lonely. Expensive fitness apps are happy to take your money to stream a real live coach into your living room, but your dog is free, already in the living room and doesn\u2019t require Wi-Fi! The dog is a deal and three-dimensional!<\/p>\n

6. They don\u2019t let you bail<\/h3>\n

You can quit a fitness app at any point in your workout, but you can\u2019t shut off your dog\u2019s desire for a workout without, well, working out with him. Try to quit on a dog who was expecting an evening run or a morning jog and you might find him working on his fitness by making your couch unfit for company.<\/p>\n

7. They\u2019re waterproof<\/h3>\n
\"Dog<\/p>\n

(Some) dogs like swimming. Photography \u00a9RainervonBrandis | Getty Images.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Unlike most of the wristband fitness trackers, our dogs aren\u2019t just water-resistant \u2014 they\u2019re waterproof. Morning jog in the rain? No problem. A few laps in the pool? As long as the filter can handle his fur.<\/p>\n

8. They make us want to be better people, not just people with better bodies<\/h3>\n

The connection we have with our dogs is more important than staying connected to fitness tracking software, because they make us want to get moving for their sake, even when we\u2019re feeling dog tired.<\/p>\n

Remember, a squat to pick up a poop is still a squat. Engage your core while you engage that poop bag.\u2004<\/span><\/p>\n

Thumbnail: \u00a9Tatomm | Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n

About the author<\/a><\/h3>\n

Heather Marcoux is a freelance writer and two-time dog mom to GhostBuster and Marshmallow. Despite their movie-inspired names, Heather\u2019s dogs aren\u2019t in any web series \u2014 but they are on the web as the\u00a0@ghostpets<\/a>\u00a0on Instagram. You can find Heather on Twitter<\/a><\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note:<\/strong>\u00a0This article first appeared in Dogster magazine. Have you seen the new Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet\u2019s office?\u00a0Subscribe now to get Dogster magazine delivered straight to you!<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Read more about walking dogs on Dogster.com:<\/h3>\n