It isn’t as easy as one might suppose to find a friend who shares your interest in walking, or any other forms of exercise. Out of all of the friends, co-workers, and family members in my life, there haven’t been any that have truly shared my passion for health and fitness. I’ve discovered a long time ago that my dog was the best bet. A dog will never whine or complain or say no. Not only that, but a dog won’t let you whine, complain or say no either.
A dog brings out the social aspect of exercise too. Most dog people are nice people. People will talk to you if you have a dog and even if they know the dogs name better than your own, it is still a friendly feeling. Even if the walk ends up being more of a social event than exercise, it is good for you in so many ways.
Walking a dog is one of life’s simple pleasures, says Cathy Rosenthal (San Antonio Express-News: San Antonio, Texas. April 20, 2003). Basically the dog is walking you. They are great social icebreakers and pet owners engage in more social interaction than other people. When you walk with a pet, everyone smiles, makes eye contact and says something to your dog, if not to you. You may have noticed that if you are walking solo that few people even acknowledge you as they pass you by.
I hope you aren’t one of those people who walk with a cell phone glued to your ear. You end up being so absorbed that you miss the opportunity to enjoy nature, talk with friends along the way, and truly enjoy the outing for its own sake. You owe it to yourself and to your dog to have some bonding time together so leave your cell phone at home. If your outing isn’t enough exercise you can do the socialization part on your way to or from the trail and jog and power walk later.
The only thing to detract from this experience is if your dog is more in control than you are. If you are dealing with painful hands or vulnerable elbows and shoulders you don’t want a dog pulling away from you on a long leash. Curb that tendency to pull in a hurry. You can sign up for some obedience classes but in the meantime there are some very good no-pull collars and harnesses on the market that can keep your four-legged friend from taking you for a walk. I use a Gentle Leader Head Collar that wraps around the neck and muzzle (like a halter on a horse) and can walk a Wolfhound mix and a Saint Bernard without and trouble at all. A harness works in much the same way and enables you to steer the dog from the chest.
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