2022’s

12 Days with Fido begins December 12th!

Post your photos/videos here in the Fido Tribe Community FB page

Post within the Facebook Group Page!

   We are challenging you AND your dog to be active together! Think you can do it? If so you’ll have the chance to win some cool prizes!

This is a FREE CHALLENGE to do at your home! No equipment needed! We want you to spend some time with your dog while exercising during the busy time of the year!

Each day will have a specific exercise trick of the day! Some maybe easy, some maybe harder, but we are encouraging you to practice for 12 minutes a day, do 12 repetitions or for 12 days straight!

Available Prizes: 

  • $100 Amazon Gift Card
  • Fitness with Fido Classes
  • and more!

To be entered into the challenge you have to:

1) Join and share your videos in our Fido Tribe Community Facebook Page

2) Post your photos and/or videos with your dog performing the exercise of the day. Or if you’re savey make one video with all 12 exercises (they don’t need to be completed in one day). 

Each day you participate you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $100 Amazon giftcard! If you complete all 12 days you’ll get 12 extra bonus points for the drawing! Also everyone who completes all 12 days will get more surprise prizes! We even have a bonus exercise for a happy new year extra 5 points!

All entries must be received by midnight 12/28/22. Eligible winners will be randomly picked 12/29/2022. Exercise descriptions are posted below. Anything can be modified. By entering you allow us to use your photos/videos for marketing purposes. Some prizes are local to St. Louis pick up, most are open to US residents and for our international winners an Amazon Gift card.

12 Days Exercise Desciptions 2022

Day 1

Figure 8 

Begin standing in a wide stance with your legs and have your dog go around each leg making a figure 8.

A more advanced version is to have your legs closer together not as wide and this will have your dog make tighter wraps.

Tip – Have treats in each hand to lure them around each leg easier! This is great warm up exercise as well!

Day 2

Sit to Stands

Start your dog in a sitting position and then ask your dog to stand. Take a few steps forward if needed, then sit again. Repeat.Your dog may be confused trying to figure out how to stand from the sit position, even though they do it all the time naturally, but it just takes time and you may need to work on a “stand” command separately to help them learn. The Goal of this exercise is to do this move without taking any steps forward or back to reset. It also helps for a “square sit” and flat back. If needed you can practice by using a corner wall with your pet facing out towards you.

This is like there version of our squat, which is day 3! Want a challenge try doing them together! 

Day 3

Squats

When doing your squats you want your feet a little more than shoulder width apart and sit back thru those hips as you go down. As you raise stand up tall and squeeze the glutes. Options: Squat & Pet -Have your dog sit and give them a pet each time you squat. They will have to focus to stay as they watch you. Add some weight while keeping good form for a challenge.

Modified – Sit into a chair and stand back up, trying not to use your hands as your raise.

Can you see the similarites with your dog’s sit to stand? It’s important to keep the legs strong!

Day 4

Wide Leg Stretch Dog Down Side Curl Crunches

This is a combo move, break it down first seperatly before building on it together 

Wide leg Stretch

Step your feet 3 to 4 feet apart, lift tall and fold slowly over your legs. Bend from your hip joints instead of rounding your lower back. If your back starts to round, stop folding forward and use a chair for support. Anchor your feet, firm your leg muscles and activate your inner thigh muscles. Shift to to the right side and to the left and hold for a few breaths. After several breaths, ground into your feet, straighten your arms, and lengthen your spine forward. Inhale as you slowly lift up to standing.

The wider your stance, the easier it is to bend forward. But if it’s too wide, you may feel unstable and start to tip forward. If you feel tightness in your low back or the back of your legs, bend your knees as much as needed to find comfort.

Down Curl Crunches

  • Place your dog in a down position. From here lure a treat to their right side of the waist area for them to curl and reach their neck to get the treat while remaining in a down.
  • Reward them and then repeat on the other side
  • Take your time, we’re not trying to give them whiplash. It also depends on their mobility how much they can curl and move side to side.

From here place your dog in peek a boo or middle of your legs opened up a few feet apart and them in a down or a down in front of you. Fold forward into your wide leg stretch. When you stretch to your right have your dog follow with a curl crunch and repeat going the other way. Do it a few times, come back to the center roll up slow and release your dog. Celebreate with a cookie throw

Day 5

Weave thru Legs

Step one foot forward and have your dog walk underneath and thru your leg. Repeat on the other side walking forward

Tip – Have treats in each hand

Modified for larger dogs that won’t duck and shorter people, raise one leg up at about hip level and have your dog walk under. This will really test your balance! or use cones to weave around

Day 6

High Knee Alt. Slow Holds  Walk Under

Practice this first before including you dog to see how your balance is and to build on that because it takes a lot of coordination and communication to include your dog and you don’t want to fall or scare them.

First thing first is to engage your core with a deep belly breath and keep the knees soft while standing. Pick up one foot and try to bring it up at hip height at a 90 degree angle and hold for a few seconds. Bring it down slowly and repeat on the other side. Your balance may be better on one side or on different days. Use a wall or couch if you need more support.

Once you feel confident have a treat in each hand and try to send your dog under while maintaining your balance. You can try to throwing a treat under to send your dog away to see if it helps you stay more upright.

While you’re learning may need to not bring your leg up as high and keep your toes on the ground. If it’s still too challenging do these by yourself and have your dog go thru a tunnel or something similar. Try to hold each side about 10 seconds.

Day 7

Dog Sitting Paw Shake

Place your dog in a sit and ask for a paw. Now try on the other side! They typically will have a dominant side, but we want to try to work each side as equally as possible. This also works on their balance. This move can have progressions to it as well later on. If you can work on a verbal cue as well it can be used in some combo moves.

You can also try targeting or hit a cone if you need a modification.

Make it more challenge by having your dog try this while standing.

Day 8

Sit Up & Pet

Once you’re comfortable doing sit ups on your own place your dog in a stay position, then have a seat in front of them Start by lying on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, with your feet flat on the floor. Put your fingertips on the back of head by your ears. 

Keeping space between your chin and chest to prevent you from pulling yourself up by your neck and to breathe easier. Think of it like you have space for an apple. Lift your torso up as close to your thighs as possible keeping your feet on the floor in a nice smooth motion, releasing and reaching your hands in front to give your dog a pet at the top. Lower back in to the starting position nice and controlled.

Inhale as you lower and exhale as you raise, but be careful not to blow on dog and make them go wild. Another option is to have your dog place their front feet on top of your feet to help hold your feet down. It requires a little more precision and targeting for your dog.

Day 9

Spins & Turns  

Leading them with a cookie to spin and turn is one of the easiest ways, keeping the treat close to their hip to make a tight circle. It’s also good for them to work on this move as it works on their lateral moves. Sometimes they may prefer one side to turn with, but the goal is to make both sides equal.

This is a great move to do everyday before meal times!

Day 10

Wrap Around You

Stand up tall with your feet close together and try to lure your dog around your body while keeping your feet planted still and dog as close to your body as possible. For smaller dogs you may need to use a target stick. When your dog gets really good at this and a more advanced move, they can do an orbit where they wrap around walking backwards! or can try this single leg if your balance is good and your dog can do this on cue.

Day 11

Standing Tummy Tickles for your Dog 

This a very gentle ab exercise for your dog, though sometimes the hard part is keeping them still for it. Some dogs have a tighter core so won’t see as much movement, but should still be able to feel engagement. Use one hand they can nibble for some treats and the other to start petting their back then try petting their stomach or licky mat works great too. Repeat a few times and you should feel them keep their core engaged and not as much rise and fall.

It may be easier for your dog to do this elevated instead of freely on the ground.

This move is similar to deep belly breaths for people, that work on really engaging your deep core muscles. 

Day 12

Peek a Boo Neck Stretches

First bring your dog into peek a boo position (middle of your legs) and have them stay. From here have a few treats in your hand and bring your hand to the thigh area for your dog to nibble on while stretching their neck, then repeat on the other side. Make sure to have multiple treats to hold this pose longer. Envision a “candy cane” shape. Once your dog is good at this try adding your opposite hand over your head for a side reach, then repeat on the other side once your dog is done with their stretch. You both will get a nice little stretch at the same time!

Bonus Move for a Happy New Year – 5 extra points!

Down Pop Up Reverse Bow

This is an advanced move and challenging to teach!

Typically with the bow pose they start from standing and lean back into the pose, but with this move it’s flipped. First your dog will start in a down position, from here we are trying to have them only lift their back end up to come into the bow position, similar to dolphin pose in yoga or bridges.

It is more of a mind body connection and focusing a lot on the hamstrings and not every dog maybe able to do it for a variety of factors. If they can bow and once in the down position I would start with light pressure trying to lift their back end or touch back feet and keep multiple treats still low in front. Some dogs will try to lift up slightly and keep practicing a little each day. You’re only assisting with the movement not applying pressure. Be patient until they understand and can build up strength.
Also if they know a tuck sit to kickback stand helps too with the back end engagement.
I’m still working with Ike on this one. So far it’s taken about 3-5 sessions for Ike to begin lifting up assisted.