Exercising with Your Dog
For dogs, the days of hunting, chasing and being chased are over. Your dog doesn’t have to find his own dinner anymore, or run and hide from larger predators. Result: Big, fat, unhealthy dog who sits in the front of the TV as much as you do.
It’s time to help your dog get in shape by helping you get in shape. A 2004 survey by Purina of pets in five major U.S. cities found that 60 percent were moderately to severely overweight. Of these dogs and cats, 12 percent were so portly that they were suffering from weight-related health conditions, many of which can lead to an early death.
While the benefits of a healthy lifestyle for people are well-known, fitter pets also reap rewards. Dogs that get regular exercise are more relaxed, generally better behaved and have fewer problems with chewing and barking, according to MSNBC Health Editor Molly Masland.
And just like people, dogs that stay in shape and eat right have healthier hearts, more efficient respiratory systems, stronger muscles and bones, are less apt to have those frequent visits to the vet, and often live longer than more sedentary pets, says Erickson.
A healthier pet benefits you too. How? Dogs can be a motivating force in your workout life by holding you accountable to your fitness goals. So says Dr. Robert Kushner, professor of medicine at Northwestern University Medical School. Kushner’s study shows that when people and their dogs exercise and diet together, both lose weight and keep it off.
In addition, having a canine buddy added variety and helped reduce the hum drum of a standard fitness routine. “Across the board, people who exercised with their dogs found it rewarding, fun and an opportunity to bond with their dog more than they ever did before,” says Kushner.
As with any exercise program, you and your dog should be checked out by a doctor/veterinarian before beginning. Your dog must start out gradually, just as you did at the beginning of your fitness journey. Start out by walking around the block and add a block each day to work up to the optimal distance.
I know that its been difficult lately to get out and exercise due to the colder weather (with temperatures in the teens, down to single digits) as well as the snow accumulation. Many people don't clear their walks and with the snowfall that we have had in the Boise area this year it makes walking arduous as well as sometimes dangerous. Having said that though I know that my favorite furball Sparky and I both need to reduce the sedentary tendency and get out to exercise.
So I've been struggling lately but vowed to find a couple of areas that Sparky and I can utilize to get our selves into shape.
Eagle Island is a really great choice. There are many trails and they seem to be packed down by the many regular walkers so it is not like you have to slog through deep snow. And the views are spectacular. Here are some photos I took of our walk this past Sunday.
If you don't like that choice. I was able to snatch 45 minutes today while I was in Eagle to walk the Greenbelt in Eagle with Sparky. Starting at Merrill Park and making our way towards town -- there is a lot to walk. Although it isn't cleared, it also has seen enough traffic to pack down the snow. Both Eagle Island State Park and the Greenbelt have a leash law. I don't always follow it -- just depending upon the traffic I see at the time of my walk. The dogs get great exercise and you get eye candy because both are beautiful.
Don't let the weather dictate your exercise plans. Your best friend will love you for it!