5 Ways You and Your Dog Can Exercise Like Gold Medalist Chloe Kim and Her Mini Aussie
Turns out, one of the most dominant Olympians of her era exercises with her dog a lot like we do. 
janelle leeson By Janelle Leeson May 23, 2022 Advertisement Pin FB More Tweet Email Send Text Message Print 
Chloe Kim with her dog, Reese Credit: Courtesy of Purina
Chloe Kim is the youngest woman to crush the snowboarding halfpipe on the biggest stage, taking home the Olympic gold medal in 2018 at the age of 17 before winning gold again in 2022. At Daily Paws, we like to think that behind every great athlete, there's an energetic pup pushing them to the next peak. For Kim, that's her floofy 5-year-old miniature Australian shepherd, Reese.
They've been together since the pup was 8 weeks old, and, like us with our dogs, they love spending quality time together—whether that's while hiking, playing fetch, or frolicking in the snow.
"Those moments when we're out and about exploring the world together—those are the moments I cherish so much," Kim tells Daily Paws.
Over the past month, she's used those moments to encourage other pet parents to get active while raising money for a great cause via the Million Mile Challenge. In fact, you and your pup might have more in common with an Olympic gold medalist than you thought.
Here's how Kim and Reese like to stay active:
Running Together
True to her Aussie breed, Reese could run circles around Kim—then run another couple miles. "I feel like she's carrying me home," Kim says of their exercise routines together.
Romping Around in the Snow
We're not saying Reese likes the snow more than Kim, but the dog definitely doesn't hate it. "She absolutely loves the snow. She gets the craziest zoomies and goes wild whenever we're on the mountain," Kim says.
Playing Fetch
Fetching the ball is one of Reese's favorite pastimes. She loves to fetch so much that Kim recently spoiled her with her own automatic ball launcher.
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Going for Hikes
"Reese is always ready for new things and the next adventure," Kim says. Hiking together offers the pair an escape from the hustle and bustle along with new sights, sounds, and smells.
Chloe Kim with her dog, Reese Credit: Courtesy of Purina
Recovery Time
It's not always go, go, go—even for an Olympic gold medalist and her high-energy pooch. "In moments where I'm feeling tired and not well enough to go outside and be active, I'll take that time to teach Reese a new trick," Kim says. "Or we just hang out and I watch her have her little puppy dreams."
In a world that expects the 22-year-old athlete to be so many things, Kim says her relationship with Reese, her "bestie," is just like every pet parent and their fur baby—free of expectations, without judgment, and unconditional.
"It's just pure love, and sometimes, I just think that's what you need at the end of the day," Kim says.
The Million Mile Challenge
With help from Kim and Reese, Purina Pro Plan's Million Mile Challenge began in April before concluding last week. It served two purposes, Kim explained: encouraging pet owners to get active with their pets while raising money for a worthy cause. Pet parents everywhere joined Kim and Reese by tracking each mile spent with their pooch on Strava. Every mile together raised 10 cents for Athletes for Animals—an organization for advocating, rescuing, and protecting the welfare of homeless pets around the U.S.
In all, the participating pets and their humans logged over 1 million miles, raising $100,000 for Athletes for Animals.
Want to help? Purina Pro Plan will soon kick off a second challenge, with the goal of 250,000 miles for a $25,000 donation to Athletes for Animals.
