Sometimes I wish I were my dog. It's not that I want to laze around all day or introduce sniffing as an acceptable greeting; I want someone to regulate what I eat. My dog boasts a perfect figure, even at 14 years old. She hasn't maintained her weight because she walks for hours on a treadmill or turns her nose up at cookies. She's an ideal weight because I monitor what she eats and make sure she gets consistent exercise. But this isn't the case for all dogs. So the next time you feel like skipping a walk with your pooch, consider this:
1. Dogs are packing on pounds, just like us.
As humans become more sedentary and more accustomed to bigger portions -- and pack on more pounds -- so do our pets. According to Fitness Unleashed: A Dog and Owner's Guide to Losing Weight and Gaining Health Together (Random House Canada, 2006) by Dr. Marty Becker and Dr. Robert Kushner: “As both species become more and more out of shape, we experience almost identical health complications of overweight and obesity, including heart disease, diabetes, joint ailments and an increased risk of cancer.”
2. Provide a healthy lifestyle
As the humans, we have a responsibility to provide our pets with a healthy lifestyle, which includes 15 to 20 minutes of physical activity three times a day. Playing fetch is one option, but enjoying a walk together is even better -- for both of you.
3. The ultimate exercise partner
A dog will never turn down a walk, no matter the weather or time of day. “He will, in fact, jump, whine, bark, wiggle, dance, engage the tail-helicopter rotor, and do whatever is necessary to drag your butt off the couch and out the door when it's time for his scheduled walk,” write Becker and Kushner.
Need an exercise regime for your portly pet? Click here for expert veterinary advice.
Photo: Writer Laurie Mckenzie and her dog, Perri
Photography by Deborah Samuel
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