Spending time outdoors with your dog doesn’t need to be limited to playing fetch and going for a walk.
Bond with your dog and get a workout while you do it! There are tons of different activities out there to play, so you can find what works best for you. We have over 20 outdoor dog activity ideas that go beyond just a day trip to the park!
If you are spending the day at the beach, have sand be part of the fun. Bury a toy and let your dog get out all of his wildest digging desires! If you have a sandbox to do this with at home, that is an excellent way to play as well. This allows your dog to enjoy a natural instinct without causing any destruction to your lawn.
If you have trees in your yard or at a friend’s place, your dog will have a blast playing in the leaves left behind. From the sound of the leaves crunching to the unlimited chances to hide, your dog will find many ways to play. Just be sure to take steps toward tick prevention prior to this activity!
Make obstacles for your dog to leap over and have a prize at the end of the course. You can place a toy in a box as a prize to add an element of mystery and surprise for your dog as well! For added fun, have your dog head back to the starting line with the toy and bring it to you.
Have the dog version of a treasure or egg hunt! Place treats and toys behind bushes and leaves, and let your dog use his natural inclinations and skill to find everything. To make it more interactive, spread things out and run with your dog while he searches. This will build excitement and ramp up your heart rate!
When doing daily activities, dogs can be pretty hilarious. Bring the camera on a walk or trip to the park, and snap some action shots! See how many funny expressions you catch your dog making. Once the day is done, you can post the best shots to Instagram or Facebook and share the joy with friends and family.
Whether you are going for a run or looking to do a daily exercise routine, you can add your dog into the mix! If your dog is small enough, you can use him for weights during squats. If you want a workout for the two of you, create a circuit that you can both utilize. Jumps, sprints, and obstacles can be a fun challenge for both human and pup. For dogs that love to swim, a routine in the water can be great for everyone too!
No matter where you live, there are always new places to see. If you pick a day to go exploring different places, you may find new parks, trails, and other places to go – either that day or in the future. Your dog will enjoy sniffing around unfamiliar territory.
Your dog is the perfect tool for gardening. Why use the shovel when your dog can happily do the digging for you? Plant new pet-friendly trees or flowers. Your dog will feel like a special assistant and have an awesome time
Rather than making playtime a one-sided event, get involved in the fun! Chasing each other around in a game of tag is a great workout and will lead to lots of laughter. You can do this at home, at a leash-free park, or even at the beach. Once you both get tired, you can kick back and relax together in the sun.
If you have a small dog or one that is less agile, you can get a bicycle trailer for your pup and go for a ride! If you have a larger dog or one that enjoys running, go for a ride side by side. With a bicycle you will be able to keep up while your dog goes running full speed! No matter how you choose to do it, your dog will be excited to cruise around.
If you own a boat, you can bring your dog along for a ride. If you don’t, you can always rent one! Your dog can enjoy swim time on a lake, or will enjoy a brisk ride on a canoe or paddle boat. The options are limitless! If you aren’t sure what your dog would like best, try out everything you can. The new experiences will help create a stronger bond between you and your dog no matter what.
There are many dog-friendly cafes out there, allowing you to head to brunch with your best furry friend! At some restaurants, you may even find there is a menu for your pup. You can bond and relax together while enjoying the sunshine on the patio.
Whether there is a drive-in theater near you or there is a local outdoor film event, bring your dog! You can both enjoy a picnic while seeing a movie. Your dog can cuddle with you and embrace the fresh air at the same time. Since drive-ins are becoming less common, you may as well do it before there are no more chances!
Believe it or not, there are many pet-friendly wineries and breweries out there. Call ahead to double check that your dog may attend, and then make the day of it. Sip your favorite drink and let your dog see a new place. The natural beauty of winery grounds are the perfect spot for both of you!
If you live in the cold or need some outdoor activities for the winter, skijoring is a cross-country skiing style you can do with your dog. Your dog gets to leap through the snow as you make your way through the trails. If your dog has never done anything like this before, be sure to take things slow and see your dog’s capabilities before going on a long skiing adventure.
If your dog has a lot of energy, a flying disc game can be a great way to lower energy levels. It is a serious workout! Your dog can leap higher than he usually does for a casual game of frisbee. If your dog is older or has arthritis, this is not a recommended choice. Leaping is very strenuous and tough on joints.
Dogs love getting to tug. Play competitively with your dog and see who wins! If you have a small dog, you may want to cut them a little slack (you’ll have a little bit of an advantage). If you have any old clothes, you can make a DIY tug toy!
Just as children go on playdates, dogs can meet up with other doggy friends at the park or another location. This allows your dog to bond with another canine, while getting out some energy. The workout will be great and your dog may end up making a lifelong friend.
You can teach your dog to skateboard with you, and the two of you can cruise around the town. Your dog will get tons of attention, and probably end up on the local Snapchat story! While you are teaching and riding, be sure to give your dogs plenty of treats and enjoy the bonding experience, even if your dog isn’t the best skater.
On a hot day, your dog can appreciate getting wet. The sprinkler gives your dog a chance to jump around and cool off. If you have a DIY agility course at home, you can add a sprinkler into the fun however your dog likes best.
Dogs love getting sticks, especially when they are giant! Make playing fetch a bigger challenge for both of you by finding a large stick and tossing it around the yard. Your dog will be overjoyed at the chance to carry the champion stick, and your arms will feel the burn at the same time!
Going camping is not just fun for people – it’s fun for dogs too! Your pup can get the chance to sniff around new territory and examine all of the new surroundings. At night, they can cuddle up with you and enjoy a night in the great outdoors. While camping, you can find fun trails to climb or find places to go swimming together as well.
Doga is just like yoga, but it allows your dog to take part. Moves are modified in a way that your dogs are perfectly capable of doing. Your dog can get into a yoga routine and have a fun fitness activity that the two of you can bond over.
What ideas worked best for you and your dog? If you have anything you think should have made the list, let us know! Be sure to share this with all of the pup lovers in your life.
Thank you for your interest in the 2018-2019 Annual Carlisle Community Directory and Resource Guide. The spiral-bound directory is delivered to every home in Carlisle in September. It is a valuable tool for our community, as it provides residents with a non-electronic resource for locating information pertaining to our town government, community groups and organizations, school information, extracurricular activities, childcare opportunities, local contractors, shopping, dining, and more.
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It’s no secret that we spend a lot of time with our co-workers. In fact, while there’s only about a 52 percent chance of us spending 30 hours a week with our family, there’s a 91 percent chance we will spend that much time with our co-workers. Like it or not, they’re the people that get the most of our time: friendship may very well be inevitable. When you do begin to form those bonds of camaraderie, here’s how to keep it from getting weird.
In a lot of respects, you’ll find that you may not have to treat a work friend much different than a non-work friend –– at least, the same principles will apply. If you’re holding that person in the framework of a mutually respectful relationship, it won’t seem as awkward or clunky when you’re navigating the balance beam of being business buddies.
In the name of literalism, please don’t pull a new work friend aside and say “Hey, new pal, it’s time to talk boundaries.” They may not continue to be so close afterward. But there are still some guards that you can safely put up as you find yourself getting close to someone in the office.
The reason for this is that friendships can make us soft in some of our work skills if we allow them. One study, highlighted in The Atlantic, showed that business partners who found they had a lot in common ultimately made less productive teams. It’s because they weren’t sharpening each other, and were instead relaxing in the ease of their mutual bond.
If you and your work friend can establish an ability to critique and refine each others’ work early on, it’s going to keep you from falling into that trap.
While eight hours casually bouncing Oscar buzz back and forth with a co-worker may seem like “talking,” it’s not –– at least, not the kind of talking you should be doing with a friend. Finding time to talk about non-work topics of self-disclosure is what truly forms the bonds of friendship. Do you need to overshare? Absolutely not, but that doesn’t mean you can’t let someone in on the goings-on of your life.
And if chatting about it in the cubicle is weird, go grab some coffee. It gets you out of that work environment without going as far as to bring someone into full life outside the office.
Work friendships are a truly great thing. As this Gallup poll shows us, having a best friend at work makes you significantly more likely to feel that your work is being appreciated, that you are being emotionally developed, that your company values you, and that there is an overall commitment to quality.
We’re simple creatures: having friends makes us feel good. Don’t let office relationships go to waste, invest in someone so that they can find that sense of belonging, too.
Have you had working with a friend go poorly? What are your keys to successfully working with a close friend? Is this writer just projecting after months spent alone working from home? Share your hot takes in the comments below or join the conversation on Twitter.