Conditioning agility dogs

Particularly little old dogs, lol.

What do y'all do? Since it's warmer now (64 F and sunny today!) and the days are getting longer, we're trying to get back into things full force as far as walks/hikes go.

Summer has a lot of energy for sure but not the stamina that she used to have. She gets crazy wild in spurts. Summer is not very active on her own and pretty much sleeps unless you're doing something with her.

Is it best to condition them via agility? Sprints? Walks?

Today she did 1 hour agility where she did 5 courses of 13 obstacles or less each time. She did great. Then we hung out at the lure coursing trial, then I came home and they napped. Then we did about 3 miles (at a trot for short dogs when I walk) plus letting them run and chase each other through the fields and lake. She kept up well but definitely was slower at the end of the 3 miles than before.

I'm sure a lot of her fizzling out at trials in the afternoons is that she was barking 24/7 at trials and not settling. She is settling in her crate now. I think the next few trials I am going to just enter her in the morning or afternoon so she's not there all day long.

So yeah... what do y'all do?

Honestly, I hike my dogs. A lot. That's really it. Around here, that means a lot of hills, a lot of varied footing, and a lot of leaping over stuff.

I know people who get very into the Fit Ball stuff and things like that, and I think they are great and the dogs can really benefit. It just isn't my thing, and I would put my dogs' conditioning and proprioception against pretty much anyone.

At nine and a half, Meg is at full speed for about a five/five and a half mile hike off leash. After that, she does tend to stick to the trail and do less racing around, although she isn't visibly tired. And she can go again the next day.

She does almost zero agility at this point outside of trials; she doesn't need the training and she doesn't like going out in the winter at night. Gusto doesn't condition via agility, because I don't have that kind of access to equipment. I also think it would be really hard to build his fitness that way. I try with both my dogs to make sure they are very 'up' and engaged while working equipment, and I don't think I could sustain that for very long.

In the warmer months, we do a lot of hiking - a few hours 2x+ a week when possible, and more of a routine for physical exercise outside- Recon and I got to the park every morning before work and play Frisbee for a half hour, then do things in the evening like walks through downtown with friends or those aforementioned hikes.

He's so out of shape right now, I hate it... but he has nowhere to run that snow isn't above his withers. Even at the park, there are paths plowed now, but I really worry about sliding on the frozen snow and cutting paw pads- he's doing that a lot out in our yard right now as it is.

I would have the best in-shape dogs if I could just live somewhere warm! 66