Former Strictly Come Dancing winner fronts first celebrity fitness DVD for humans and dogs

Petsercise with Louis Smith sees the Team GB hero guide viewers through a fun and high tempo home workout – with the addition of two dogs exercising alongside him.

Created by Horsham based pet insurers MORE TH>N and Wagglepets, the 11-minute fitness video includes a mixture of simple, unique cardio, muscular and core-strengthening exercises that will see both owner and dog break into a sweat when performed together (if dogs could sweat, that is).

Each exercise Louis Smith and his canine companions perform in the video has been developed by a vet[1] and personal trainer and will ensure people following at home feel the burn - while also giving their dogs a healthy run around and supplementing the regular outdoor exercise they should get.

A few of the six exercises Louis and his four-legged fitness friends carry out in the fitness video are:

- Figure of Eights: the dog’s owner adopts a squat position and leads a dog through their legs in a figure of eight motion;

- Bicycle Crunches: the dog jumps between the owner’s alternating legs; and

- Pro Cobra: a shoulder and back workout for the owner that sees the dog chase a treat in the owner’s hands.

All of the person-and-pet exercises demonstrated by Louis and his canine workout companions can be performed at home by dog owners and their dogs with a small dog ball, toy or healthy treat.

Louis Smith said of the video: “2016 is a big year for me. The aim is to get to Rio and represent the nation on the biggest sports stage of all. It’s really important that I’m in peak physical condition, but I never forget about my dog and their need for regular exercise and a proper diet. That’s why I teamed up with MORE TH>N and Wagglepets to create this workout video: to help spread the word about the importance of a happy and healthy lifestyle for dogs everywhere.”

Petsercise with Louis Smith launches today at the peak of the celebrity fitness DVD season. While the free video will help dog owners work towards their New Year’s resolution to shift any extra Christmas pounds, it has another ambition: to combat the ongoing dog obesity crisis in the UK. Indeed, despite most dogs born with an insatiable appetite for running around, one in three (33%) canines today are nonetheless classified as overweight.

Steve Jay, Head of Innovation at MORE TH>N, said: “Unfortunately there are too many dogs today that are out of shape and overweight – and it’s an entirely man-made problem. Just like us, every dog should have the opportunity to live a happy and healthy life. However, where we can all choose to adopt healthier lifestyles, dogs can’t make such an act of self-improvement alone.”

“We understand that even the most responsible of dog owners may not always have the time to give their dogs the amount of exercise they need every day, so it’s important to find creative ways to help owners supplement their pets’ fitness. Hopefully, the fun workout video we’ve created with Louis Smith will encourage all owners to give their dogs the exercise they love, while having the added benefit of being a workout for them too.”

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