No-Excuse Exercise: Burn Calories Caring for Your Pet
If you need a little help getting off of the sofa on football Sunday to give your pup a bath or can’t quite make it out of bed in time to start the day with a brisk dog walk, here’s a little something to get you moving.
We’ve calculated the calories burned during common pet care activities. And while these tasks shouldn’t replace a trip to the gym, you’ll be getting more exercise than you would from a cozy recliner. Keep in mind that the more animals you have to care for and the bigger they are, the more calories you’ll burn.
All calculations below are based on 30 minutes of activity completed by a 150-pound individual.
Feeding time at the zoo: From lifting heavy bags of pet food to washing the dishes after your pets have cleaned their plates, a feeding frenzy can turn into a mini-workout if you’re serving more than one.
- Feeding animals: 85
- Feeding small farm animals: 136
- Feeding large farm animals: 153
Working up a lather: Bathing, drying and brushing a large animal is quite the task, especially if he wasn’t born a water bug. You may just need your own bubble bath once your pup’s out of the tub.
- Bathing or grooming dog: 119
- Grooming horse: 202
Hurrying through housework: Picking up cat and dog hair, scrubbing away muddy paw prints and rounding up your pet’s playthings mimics aerobic exercise. See how quickly you can get things looking spic and span.
- Mopping: 153
- Vacuuming: 119
Pet care means playtime, too: Playing with your pet shouldn’t just be a treat. He needs regular exercise just as much as you do. Enlist your pup as a workout buddy and you’ll forget all about the E word.
- Light playing while seated: 85
- Light playing while standing: 95
- Light playing at a walking/ running pace: 95
- Moderate playing at a walking/running pace: 136
- Vigorous playing at a walking/running pace: 170
- A game of Frisbee: 103
- Hiking with your dog: 202
- Swimming with your pup: 207
