Do you and your dog both need to lose weight?

USA Today has interviewed Marty Becker, one of the authors of the book Fitness Unleashed!: A Dog and Owner’s Guide to Losing Weight and Gaining Health Together.

Here is a short excerpt:

NEWSWEEK: Why are so many dogs in the United States overweight?
Marty Becker: We’re killing them with kindness. We equate food with love. They’ve fallen into the same cycle of inactivity that we have. We put too much food in their mouths and too few miles on their feet. It’s really important to get them moving again and then make some better choices on what you’re feeding them and how much you’re feeding them and what to do with treats.

A lot of gyms offer two-for-one discounts under the assumption that people are more likely to stick to a fitness routine when they have an active partner. What is your assessment of a pet dog as a workout partner?
People start out with great frequency and intensity; but, pretty soon, there’s always a better offer that comes along. Somebody’s husband calls and says, `Hey, why don’t we meet after work and I’ll take you to dinner.’ Then pretty soon, someone has a soccer game, and then somebody has a late deadline at work, and then somebody feels like they’re getting a touch of the flu, and it just goes on and on and pretty soon [the exercise] just drops off. With a dog, they never get a better offer, they don’t call in sick, and they don’t have a snooze button that you can slap down three times. They are very punctual and they’re going to nag you to keep going. They also reacquaint you with nature. You’re out in the sunshine, you get reacquainted with your neighbors, and they’re a great conversation catalyst. When people are just getting started exercising, they often feel very self-conscious, but a dog completely takes the focus off the person.

Read the rest of the article…

It sounds like a fun way to fit exercise into your day. And I think dogs are a lot better behaved when they go on regular walks.

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