Happy Fit Dog 4th of July!

First we hope you all have a wonderful and safe 4th of July holiday (if you're in the U.S.).  You might want to get outside and enjoy the day before the start of all those loud fireworks. They sure are pretty but they also are pretty much hated by dogs across America.

It's also the first full week of K9 Kamp, and we hope you're all playing some really fun backyard fitness games! We can't wait to see what you all are doing and try some of your games ourselves!

This week, we set up a backyard obstacle course, and had a little fun of our own.  We used a few items we had for agility and conditioning, and some of these are also in our colossal K9 Kamp giveaway prize pack.  Find more about our giveaway and enter here.

Rocco works on his balance and core conditioning on the K9FITbone. This is one of the really nice items in our giveaway prize pack, contributed by the nice folks at DogTread.  We also have been working on front paws and back paws on the FITbone. This item is so versatile I even used it myself to do some planks and hip lifts!

Behind Rocco is the FitPAWS Balance Disk, you'll see him spin around on it in the video below!

We've had this FitPAWS wobble board for a while and Rocco loves to bang around on it! I think it's what helped make him fearless on the agility teeter.

When designing a backyard obstacle course, there's no need to be fancy! We used this box that the FITbone came in!

Rocco learned his agility tunnels easily by using this tunnel from the Kyjen backyard agility kit when he was just a puppy. He still loves running through this fun play tunnel. Petco kindly donated this item to our K9Kamp prize pack!

This is what our course set up looked like. We added a few agility jumps too.

Take a look at Rocco in action! We got a few style points taken off, because for some reason on this day, Rocco didn't like the corner of the backyard where the first jump is placed.  We also typically take more time to balance on the FITbone, to help build strength, stamina and body awareness.

It also was a really hot day, so hydration and cool down was really important. After our run we headed in for a cool drink from our PetSafe Drinkwell Fountain. This one is similar to the one in our K9 Kamp prize pack, donated by the nice folks at PetSafe.

Rocco's pony holder matches the fountain! How funny is that?!

Special thanks to all our prize pack contributors: Petco, PetSafe, DogTread, For Love of a Dog, Jones Natural Chews and Smart Cookee.  Get more details about K9 Kamp and enter our giveaway here!

Happy 4th of July! Do you have any fun activities planned?

The fun and games continue every Friday with FitDog Friday, the weekly Blog Hop brought to you by To Dog With Love, SlimDoggy and Peggy's Pet Place to promote a healthy active lifestyle for pets (and their people, too!). Join in every Friday by linking up your FitDog story or visiting the blogs in the Hop.

FitDog Friday: Our K9 Camp Agility Challenge

 In another special addition of FitDog Friday AND K9 Kamp, today's the day we update you on our Kamp activities for the past week AND fess up if we've been sticking to our goals!

In case you missed it, last week, our K9 Kamp counselors Peggy at Peggy's Pet Place and Jodi at Kol's Notes, issued our camp challenge for the next three weeks:

Get active with your dog, 30 minutes extra, 3 or 4 times a week

We took it one step further by choosing a specific activity that we'd enjoy -- working on our agility foundation skills. We ordered the DVD "Crate Games" by Susan Garrett and it came this week! So here's what we've done so far:

• Watched nearly all of the 90 minute video
• Told our agility instructor we ordered the video (at her suggestion)
• Yup, that's about it

That might not sound like much, but before we actually start training, the foundation work to prepare FOR the foundation work is even more important. REALLY! We're not just procrastinating. 

Here's why it's so important:

• You want to be clear on your criteria -- or exactly what behavior you want -- before you start training, OR
• You might inadvertently train a behavior you're not looking for (because you rewarded the wrong thing at the wrong time)

So since I'm trying really hard not to break Rocco before I start, our agility instructor suggested these brilliant tips -- watch the DVD three times and then use a stuffed animal and practice on it first! BRILLIANT! 

So this week, I'll watch and re-watch the DVD, practice by putting a stuffy (not Rocco) in a crate, and then once I get really clear on the timing and behaviors I want to reward, Rocco gets to start playing crate games!

In the meantime, however, it's not like we've been sitting around eating bonbons! We've taken plenty of long walks, attended agility class AND yesterday received our new Kyjen Agility Kit from Petco! 

Rocco tries out his new Kyjen Agility Tunnel. Wheeeee!

Head over to yesterday's post and you can find out how to win one for yourself and pick up a few more  fitness tips!

My top dog!... Rocco wears the 1st place ribbon from the Kyjen Agility Kit!

Today also is FitDog Friday, the weekly Blog Hop brought to you by To Dog With Love, SlimDoggy and Peggy's Pet Place to promote a healthy active lifestyle for pets (and their people, too!) and to help combat pet obesity. Join in every Friday by linking up your FitDog story or visiting the blogs in the Hop.

Why Your Dog is Your Best Workout Partner #Agility #Giveaway

Last week we got the chance to chat with celebrity fitness trainer Gunnar Peterson, an animal lover and Beverly Hills-based personal trainer who helps his clients look and feel great! While Gunnar's clients typically are of the two-legged variety, he shared some great tips with us on ways to work out with your pup!

Learn about Gunnar's tips in the video below and then be sure to read all the way down for a fantastic fitness giveaway that both you and your pet are sure to love!

To help you get both your and your pup's fitness goals on track, we have a great giveaway today courtesy of Petco. 

You may already know how much we love training for and competing in agility and so we've been eyeing the Kyjen Agility Kit for quite some time. We got our agility kit this week and now you have the chance to win your own via our Rafflecopter giveaway below!

Rocco gives the Kyjen tunnel a try. I think he loves it!   

The kit comes with six weave poles, a jump, an open tunnel and a pause box. They're a little different from regulation agility obstacles, but they are perfect for playing with your pup and seeing if they like the sport of agility. 

You'll also get a lot of extras in the kit to help make the game even more fun, including a start/finish line, stop watch, award ribbons, instructions, game rules and stakes for securing obstacles into the ground. All you need to add is a grassy area and a willing pup and human!

Our neighbor pups all seem to want to try agility, so now we can have an agility play day in our own backyard! 

Enter to win a Kyjen Agility Kit

Enter via Rafflecopter below to win a Kyjen Agility Kit from Petco.  Giveaway is open until June 20 at 12 a.m. ET. U.S. only.

And, don't forget to come by and visit us at the FitDog Friday and K9 Kamp Blog Hop tomorrow!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Petco provided the interview with Gunnar Peterson and Kyjen Agility Kits to review and give away.  Our opinions expressed herein are entirely our own.