If you’re dog owner, there will be two common items on your “to do” list. One is walk the dog, the second is either “go to the gym” or “exercise.” If you are having trouble sticking to an exercise schedule, research has shown that dogs are actually natures best personal trainer. Your friends my make excuses to skip exercising or convince you to go for a drink instead of going to the gym but your dog will never give you an excuse to forego exercising.

Research has shown that only 16% of Americans over 15 exercised at all on a given day.

A survey of dog owners, conducted at the University of Western Australia and published in Health Promotion Journal of Australia  revealed that dogs are great motivators for walking because they:

• Provide a strong motivation to maintain a program
• Are good walking companions
• Provide good social support when exercising

In a study published in the journal Preventive Medicine, Dog owners who reported walking their dogs were almost 25 percent less likely to be obese than people without dogs. A total of 30 minutes per day is sufficient. A ten minute walk around the neighborhood in the morning and a twenty minute romp in the park tossing around your dogs favorite dog toys and having him run free from his dog leash would be sufficient. Most people walk their dog three times a day so in most cases, you will get more than thirty minutes of exercise.

So grab that dog leash, call your dog and go for a brisk walk. You both will benefit. Have a great day!

Remember, pets are family!

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