Dog is man’s best friend, and as such, you should create some time to grow your bond. The best way of attaining this goal is by having a hobby you share and enjoy with your furry friend.
Although owning a dog is a hobby by itself, it can be an exciting experience to get new activities that include the love of your canine companion.
If you’re running short of activities you can do together with your pooch, or maybe you’re a dog lover searching for potential hobbies you can enjoy with your mutt, the following list has a range of fun activities to suit everybody: from dog owners who are active and fit to owners who’re artistic and crafty.
Here are some of the top hobbies for you to consider.
Hiking
If both you and your pup love to be out in the open air, then you should consider taking up hiking as a hobby. Hiking is an excellent and healthy hobby for you and your mutt to engage in since it will enable you to spend quality time outside the confines of the house, as well as ensure both of you remain fit.
Dogs just love taking exhilarating hikes and extended walks as it enables them to burn off the surplus energy they have built up inside. However, before you embark on your mountain-hiking adventure, you’ll first need to evaluate the leash behavior of your pooch.
You have to ascertain that your mutt is leash-trained and compliant with your orders before you go on your first hike. You can consider beginning with small, less-intensive hikes before you move up to mountain hiking.
If you’re still leash training your dog, then it may not be a prudent time to jump into hiking as it can turn out to be a ghastly affair for you and your furry friend. You also need to make sure that your pup responds to your calls in the event you need to let go of the leash to catch your breath.
One final thing to take into account is that it’s crucial that you pack adequate water and food for both of you. With that extended period of walking up and down trails, dehydration can occur dangerously quick in certain conditions.
For this reason, you need to ensure that both of you have the necessary nutrition to make it through the hiking escapade.
Football
Dogs generally love football which is why they can be very good football buddies. Dogs love everything about the ball, chasing it around, moving it, kicking it, and pretty much everything a human can do.
However, you’ll have to train them to acquire that sort of aptitude for playing football. The crux here is to encourage your pup to chase and then make a run with the football instead of just stopping or running off further as most dogs do.
If your pup is incapable of acquiring this trick fast, you can alternatively put them on as a goalie, and you’ll be amazed just how many shots s/he will block. It will really make the match enjoyably even-ended.
Bikejoring
If the mutt loves going on ahead and pulling against the leash, then you should consider taking up bikejoring as the ideal hobby for both of you.
What is bikejoring, you ask? Bikejoring entails operating a bike while your dog is in front pulling – a towline pulling the cyclist. It’s basically like dogsledding, but where the bike has replaced the sled.
You may be under the presumptions that enabling a pooch that already tends to pull could be calamitous, but in actual sense, your mutt will be healthier since they’re given the room to run and move around as they wish.
The ideal dogs best suited for bikejoring are those that are highly energetic and leash trained. The most popular dog breeds for this type of hobby include the Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies, but any proactive medium-sized to large breeds qualify for this kind of hobby.
When you’ve established that your mutt qualifies, you can use bikejoring as the ideal tool to wear out your pup as well as engage in some fun outdoor exercises in the process.
Dogs that have exercised their hearts out are much calmer at the house and won’t cause any trouble. If you’re a fan of bike riding, then this is the perfect hobby for you guys.
Photography
Dog lovers just love showcasing their dogs to others whenever they can. If you fall under this category, why not consider taking it up as a hobby? Most dogs are photogenic, and it won’t take an expert to find the perfect angle for a photograph.
There’s also a large pool of information on the Internet on some amazing tips you can use to take the best dog pictures. You can begin by figuring out the personality of your dog if you want to capture them in the ideal moment.
When they get lazy, you can take a photograph of them as they lounge in the sun. When active, you can take a photo of them running and jumping around.
What’s more, dog Instagram accounts are receiving more and more traction these days. If your pooch is just too cute, you can post them for others to appreciate.
There are so many dogs out there that have risen to stardom because their owners posted them on Instagram. With your photography hobby, you might unearth a new Insta gem for the world. You never know.
Keeping Other Small Animals
If you love dogs, it’s highly likely that you love animals as a whole, and as with the majority of folk who already have a single pet, don’t call it quits from there.
You can consider harboring another tiny furry companion like a Guinea pig or a hamster, but in case your dog is nosey, it may frequently disturb them. In the case of an aquarium, dogs don’t pay them any notice and consider the area prohibited by the owner.
Go for other small companions that won’t need the time and effort given to the dog. It can also give the dog a companion to ‘protect’ and bond with when you go to work or have your hands busy with something.
Flyball
Chances are that among the sports you play with your mutt for fun is frisbee, where they fetch and bring it back, you can up the game and participate in a competition with your very energetic pooch.
Flyball is a competitive sport whereby there’s a race between two teams playing a relay-style fetch game. The ball is thrown over multiple jumps, and the dogs race to get it and return it.
This sport is open to every type of dog, making it an ideal hobby choice for smaller breeds that are more energetic.
Baking
If you’re more of an introvert and prefer to be indoors, you can try a dog-centric hobby like baking. You can make your pooch feel really loved when you feed it with dog treats you’ve homemade.
With the power of treats at your hand, you train it to do just about anything with simple commands. You can try different recipes, including Fido-friendly meals or creative biscuits.
If you’re business-minded, you can be supplying your baking products to other dog owners in your area. This hobby can turn out to be lucrative.
Conclusion
Most of the aforementioned hobby ideas for dog owners can be done together with your pooch, which will allow you to form a bond and enjoy together. Regardless of the hobby you opt for, spending time with your pooch is the most important thing.