This is a question I get asked quite rarely, but I fully understand it because many of you love your dog, want to spend time with your dog, and be outside in the fresh air with your dog. However, when it comes to group exercise this is something that I have experienced from an old instructor that I used to have who brought his dog along to sessions.
Although he promised that it would behave itself and not get in the way, the dog would get very excited and try and join in, jump on us get under our feet and generally make it a nuisance of itself. So for that reason, I say ‘no’ to dogs at sessions.
Another reason is that not all members of the group will necessarily feel comfortable having a dog around. Some people (myself included) are genuinely nervous or even scared of dogs for one reason or another. And if for that reason only, dogs shouldn’t be brought along to bootcamp.
We have had times when dogs that belong to members of the public (who happened to be in the park) have run in and tried to join in with our bootcamp. This causes one of two reactions.
Firstly, people will stop exercising and straight the dog love the dog, cuddle the dog and go ooh, how sweet.
Second, other members will stop and get out of the way because they don’t want to be anywhere near a dog, or have a dog near them.
Either way around it is very disruptive. We try and do all we can to keep canine counterparts out of boot camp sessions.
So to cut a long story short, no dogs at bootcamp!