Are you the type of person who loves being active? Whether you’re a hiking aficionado or just someone who loves to play sports, you already know that staying active and exercising can have many benefits. Better physical and emotional health is high on the list, as is experiencing a wealth of adventures to keep you curious and exploring well into your senior years.
There’s really nothing like the feeling of successfully hiking to the top of a challenging trail, especially with man’s best friend at your side. There both of you will sit, enjoying each other’s company while you take in the beauty of the natural world.
If this sounds a little bit like paradise to you, there’s good news: for every adventure, there is a dog out there excited and ready to jump into it head-first right along with you. Adopting a dog is an excellent way to stay motivated and excited about active living, but it’s important to choose a breed that’s capable of keeping up with you. So venture forth, adventurer, and be sure to take one of the following breeds with you each time.
Labrador Retrievers
Time-tested, reliable, and enthusiastic, a healthy, well-trained Labrador Retriever is high-energy and driven to please. That combination makes for a canine friend that’s just as happy walking with you around the city as he is coming when called on a mountain trail.
Labrador Retrievers are fairly tolerant of cold and warm weather and are extremely friendly with strangers, making them suitable for visits to the local dog park. Better still, they require only minimal grooming, so when your pup makes contact with a few mud puddles during your hike, cleanup afterward won’t require hours of meticulous grooming. A quick bath and they’re ready and willing to head out on the next adventure!
Although this breed usually makes an excellent companion for the highly active, they aren’t necessarily a good choice for a novice owner. They are sensitive beings, and can become headstrong or even sulky when reprimanded, meaning that training early and firmly is especially important. Exercise is also not just an option with Labradors; too little of it and they’re prone to becoming lazy and even overweight later in life.
Vizslas
Vizslas are especially well-suited to human companions who enjoy an active lifestyle. Originally bred by Hungarian breeders as a work dog that could help hunters flush out wild game, these dogs are high-energy and fairly tolerant of warm weather. Vizslas are also extremely intelligent and sensitive. This means that they train easily and follow orders well, especially when in tune with a human companion, but they can be highly emotional and sometimes headstrong, too.
Vizslas are often registered under a sporting group with the AKC (American Kennel Club), which is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees. These dogs are built for hunting and especially act as reliable and accurate pointers. In the world of hunting, dogs can act as pointers, retrievers, setters, or a combination of these. Pointers silently find and point to game, retrievers recover game from the water or land, and setters flush game, or bring it out of hiding. The coat of Vizslas is dense and water-repellent, great for withstanding brush and all types of weather conditions.
The Vizsla lives for adventure, so yet another hike or fishing adventure is akin to another visit to paradise. They require a high amount of exercise, and can become bored and restless if they don’t receive it in a timely manner.
Unfortunately, their tendency to become bored does increase the likelihood for them to wander off, so training them to recall in an instant is especially crucial prior to letting them off-leash in nature. Bond with your Vizsla early and train him well; you’ll have a companion that respects you for life.
Siberian Huskies
The Siberian Husky evokes images of northern Canada and Alaska, and for good reason: they’re well-known for their role in the sled dog world. Selectively bred in the north for speed and strength, these dogs are most happy when given a task and kept highly active on a daily basis. The forest ranger’s perfect companion, these are dogs that are instinctually driven to run over long distances, so a simple walk once a day just won’t do.
Run a few miles a day, or train regularly for marathons? The Siberian just might be the perfect companion for you. Likewise, if you live in the northern portion of the United States where cooler weather can come for between seven and nine months of the year.
Despite their suitability for active lifestyles, there are a few variables new potential owners need to understand before adopting. Firstly, taking care of a Siberian Husky puppy is a bit like taking care of a baby – they like to put everything in their mouths and require almost constant attention, at least for the first few weeks.
Huskies of any kind can also become defiant, headstrong, stubborn, and overly independent if not trained correctly from day one. The defiance comes from their need for independence and close genetic tie to the wolf. You must be committed to consistency, working with your new dog from the moment you adopt if you want your dog to be well-behaved.
Finally, a huskies’ high intelligence level means that everyday activities may become blasé to them quickly. Be sure to provide mental stimulation just as often as you challenge them physically.
Border Collies
Live or work on a farm? There’s few breeds that can keep up with the daily care of livestock like the Border Collie. This ambitious and incredibly intelligent breed is frequently found on sheep farms, is highly affectionate, trains easily, and loves to spend time in the great outdoors.
Anyone who’s seen a Border Collie in action knows that they have plenty of energy and an instinctual drive to herd livestock, making them just right for the job. This is a breed that’s more than happy to learn tricks, so they take to agility training quite easily.
The Border Collie isn’t as intense as a Siberian Husky, so when playtime is over, he’s a little more willing to snuggle up beside you on the couch. This may make the breed more suitable for those who need a working dog as well as those who simply enjoy spending time outdoors. However, they also have a tremendous amount of stamina, making them especially ideal for long-distance hikes, camping trips, and other adventures into the wild.
Bernese Mountain Dogs
The Bernese Mountain Dog is a big, burly teddy bear of a dog that has a heart that’s at least as big as its size. Originally bred as farm dogs in Switzerland, this breed is stocky and full of stamina, ensuring that it can go the extra mile right alongside you on all of your most exciting adventures. They’re also exceptionally friendly and loving, making them suitable for families with all but the smallest children or frailest elderly members.
Unlike other large, high-energy breeds, the Bernese Mountain Dog is far less likely to wander too far from their human companion. For their size and energy level, they’re a remarkably gentle and patient breed. Both loyal and driven to please, these dogs learn skills quickly, especially if exposed to an older dog that is already well-trained.
The Bernese Mountain Dog loves to play and wants nothing more than to spend time fetching a ball with human children – at least when said children treat them respectfully.
Contact A Reputable Sporting Dog Breeder
Choosing the right dog isn’t as simple as heading off to a breeder and basing your decision on looks alone. While all puppies are adorable, some are better suited to specific lifestyles than others. Whether you’ve been searching for a furry friend for the family or someone to accompany you on long runs, these wonderful high-energy breeds make the perfect sidekick for training and wilderness adventures, too.
For those who love to hunt or stay active throughout the day, a sporting dog breeder should be contacted. Vizslas are ready for anything, from early sunrise hikes to evening jogs around the park. Their high level of intelligence makes them easy to train. They learn to correct their mistakes and become better hunters with each outing. These dogs are intensely loyal and will stay faithfully by an owner’s side no matter what the activity.