Getting fit with your four-legged friend? Make it easier with our top fitness picks!

Struggling to stick to your new year’s resolution to get up early and go for a run with your dog? Us too. Why not take a look at our top fitness picks and see if we can make it a little easier?

1. A lead that attaches around the waist

Ruffwear offer many choices for leads that attach around the waist, meaning you can run hands-free. One of our favourites is the Roamer Dog Lead, as it uses wavelength webbing to stretch as your dog runs – avoiding any sudden pulls on the lead. As this isn’t ideal in high-traffic areas, you can use the handy clip to quickly switch between wearing this around your waist and keeping it under hand-held control. A great pick from going for your dog walk to your dog run!

2. Water bottle and holder

Even though it’s cold, it’s still important for both us and our dogs to stay hydrated! A firm favourite is the H2O4K9 water bottle with the Neosling.

3. Activity Tracker

An optional but fun addition to your walk could be the WonderWoof activity monitor. It’s waterproof, and easily attaches to your dog’s collar. Sync the monitor with your phone via Bluetooth and see how many achievement badges you and your dog can earn on your adventures together!

4. Dog boots

The harsh cold weather is hard on our skin and hard on our dog’s feet. While dog boots aren’t suitable for all dogs, they are useful if your walk navigates across rocky terrain or for areas particularly prone to snow. Avoid tiny snowballs on your dog’s paws with these boots!

5. Lights Be safe, be seen!

If you find the weather is dark when you’re out then it’s a good idea to make your dog as visible as possible. The Beacon from Ruffwear can clip on to harnesses, collars or their range of coats – so your dog can stay warm and safe.

6. Jacket

If your dog has a particularly short coat, or is a breed which is more prone to feeling the cold, then a jacket is useful to have on hand for chilly days. Whether you’re looking for a lightweight rain-jacket or a cosy fleece, there are lots of options available – some of which even have harness attachments to make attaching your dog’s lead through the coat as simple as possible.

7. Something to fetch

Make sure your dog burns off all that excess energy with a game of fetch at the park! We love the eco-friendly Planet Dog Bamboo Wood Chuck and ball, which is made from 100% sustainable bamboo and re-used cork scraps, along with a recycled ball.