I was reading the off topic section of a dog forum I visit a few days ago and saw that one of the members was buying a pair of shoes called the Reebok EasyTone. Having never heard of these shoes before, I was intrigued. These shoes supposedly create a “natural imbalance” in your feet and force your legs and butt to work to keep your balance. I run and cycle on a regular basis, but the idea of getting toned when walking around and doing daily chores appeals to me!

Reading about the EasyTone and their method of toning your legs by forcing you to work to keep your natural balance reminded me of an exercise tool originally designed for people, but one which an increasing number of dog owners are starting to use. It’s called a balance trainer and the one I’m seeing pop up over the internet is the Harbinger Balance Trainer, although I’ve seen others as well.

On first impression, the balance trainer looked like a UFO-type inflated contraption to me. It has two sides – one nibbed and one smooth.

Your dog’s improved balance can be great in all situations and can be especially useful for dogs who participate in dog sports like Agility, which require great balance when traversing the obstacle course at great speeds. Balancing on a balance trainer can be a great challenge for your dog to overcome.

I’ve seen two particular balance trainers being used for dog balance training, these being the Harbinger balance trainer and the Bosu balance trainer, but the Bosu balance trainer, to me, seems ridiculously expensive.

There are many different ways to teach your dog how to jump onto the balance trainer and attempt to stay there for as long as possible without falling off. If it were me, I’d probably opt for clicker training to shape the behavior (I might make a post about clicker training later, but it’s basically a method of operant conditioning used on various species of animals (humans included)).

It may take your dog quite a while to learn how to balance on a dog balance trainer correctly, but the fitness and coordination benefits should be well worth the effort. Not to mention it’s another fun activity to do with your dog. Dogs love variety in their training and exercise, so I’m adding this to my list of things to try with Keeda.

If anyone’s tried or regularly uses the balance trainer with their dog, I’d love to hear what you think of it.