Go Play Outside!

Go Play Outside!

Outdoor activity has numerous positive benefits! A 2010 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that the:

positive impact of being outdoors and around natural elements on subjective vitality, above and beyond the effects of physical activities or social interactions that can take place in natural settings. This is potentially important because subjective vitality has been implicated as an important component of wellbeing and even physical health.

Long story short, simply going outside is good for you! Dogs love being outside too, so take them with you in your outdoor adventures.  Long gone are the days when taking the dog outside was limited just to the walk around the block.

Try some of these fun outdoor activities you can enjoy with your dog:

Local: Stay close to home!

-walk dog

-dog park

-garden/landscape

-read a book while working on mat behaviors

-frisbee/fetch

Movement: Exercise for both you and your dog

-bike/rollerblade/run

-hiking/backpacking/camping

-work-out

-skateboarding

-parkour

Training: Teach new skills, work on old skills or get ready to compete

-agility

-nosework

-tracking

-basic training

-herding

Water: Although your car might smell like a wet dog you and your dog will still have a blast.

-swimming

-dock dogs’

-kayak

Winter: Don’t let the cold and snow keep you from going outside.

-skijoring

-sledding

-snowshoeing

For the adventurous/crazy: Yes, we are serious. People really do these activities with their dogs.

-climbing

-skydiving

-hang-gliding

-surfing

-jet-skiing

-parachuting

-scuba diving

Something new! Don’t limit yourself just by our list. What other fun things do you like to do outside with your dog?

While researching for this article we found this boring (to most!) science journal article, http://www.intrinsicmotivation.net/SDT/documents/2010_RyanWeinstenEtAl_JEVP.pdf and this really awesome video.  Just in case you didn't believe us Sisely the parachuting, skydiving, jet skiing dog: