Which Way is the Beach?

Do we really need to have dog fitness and wellness centers in the same fashion that people have gyms and exercise clubs?  Don’t dogs get enough exercise chasing cars, cats,  frisbees and tennis balls, or running in the opposite direction when you call them?

One would think, right?

Dog health, by way of over-all dog fitness and wellness, used to be a given in our society but those times, they keep a changin’. 10 or 15 years ago the words “dog” and “obesity” were used with one another about as often as “integral” and “politician” were (oops, was that out loud?). Dog health and fitness were really only considered by a seldom few who were most likely seen as outside the circle of normality and extreme.

Today, however, dog fitness and dog wellness are an increasingly popular topic within the realm of optimized dog health and as time goes on, we as a dog owning nation seem to be understanding that an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure; especially if you’ve paid a vet bill lately.

Dog fitness and wellness centers are few and far between currently, but it’s logical to believe that trend is about to change in the coming decade as owners learn the benefit of possibilities like canine aquatic therapy and canine massage and if  for no other reason than it makes sense…and these dog fitness and wellness centers aren’t just for fat dogs, they are appropriate for working dogs, canine athletes, dogs recovering from surgery or injury and soon to be largest market, owners who are looking to maintain their dog’s fitness and wellness for a longer, happier and healthier life otherwise known as preventative maintenance.

Kumbaya…

What spurred my interest recently in dog fitness and wellness centers was the recent opening of one such place in Orlando, Florida called Rocky’s Retreat.  At first glance, I thought to myself, “oh geez, what is this, another foo foo dog groomer palace taking advantage of the “purse dog” population charging $200 for a bunch of hippies to burn incense and sing Kumbaya while holding hands around these poor dogs?”  I’m please to report, I was way off the mark.

I’m not affiliated with or benefiting monetarily from them, so I can say with a clear conscious, Rocky’s Retreat is a fantastic example of a dog fitness and wellness center aimed at total and complete dog health and I’m willing to bet that we will see these types of facilities more and more as time goes on.

Now, we aren’t going to see dogs bench pressing, but in addition to normal exercise dog fitness centers offer advantages like access to canine aqua therapy, canine massage, acupressure, and believe it or not, yoga and pilates.

Let’s Get Physical

Think back to the days of big hair, Olivia Newton-John, leg warmers, muscle shirts and Jazzercise.  Much in the same way that those trends sparked an understanding and eventual passion for human fitness, I believe we are on the cusp of a similar trend in dog fitness and wellness.

Certainly not to take anything away from doggie day cares or other pet sitting services because they are important and most beneficial for the mental well being of your dog where they can be intellectually stimulated while we are at work or out of town, but the key difference in dog fitness and wellness centers is that they are focused on the physical well being of dogs which has the side effect of intellectual stimulus; the very same way humans do with gyms and exercise clubs.

It was never thought that working with your dog’s fitness to develop strength, range of motion and flexibility through specific actions would have the profound effect that it does on over-all dog health, but consider this:  Prolonging the lives of dogs while keeping them free from injury, disease, obesity and that dreaded vet bill are what we desire for our furry friends in the first place, so why not dog fitness and wellness centers?

Once the general public recognizes that the same things that are important to human health are just as important for dog health, we will see more of these dog fitness and wellness centers pop up in our neighborhoods and I for one, look forward to it.