Editorial

Best piece of exercise equipment is a dog

Friday, March 18, 2011

Exercise with me, or I'll make you wish you had!

Not many workout partners can say that as effectively as man's best friend.

A new study from Michigan State University is confirming what most dog owners already know -- walking your dog is one of the best forms of exercise, uh, going.

The study, appearing in the current issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, found that people who owned and walked their dogs were 34 percent more likely to meet federal benchmarks on physical activity.

Of dog owners who took their pets on regular walks, 60 percent met federal standards for regular moderate or vigorous exercise. Nearly half of dog walkers exercised an average of 30 minutes a day at least five days a week.

In comparison, only about a third of those without dogs got that much regular exercise.

Using data from the Michigan Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, an annual health survey by the State of Michigan and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers found that not only did owning and walking a dog affect the amount of walking a person does, but also that dog walkers were more active overall.

They also found that the social and human-animal bond aspects of owning a dog have been shown to have a positive effect on quality of life.

Middle-age people have less time to walk dogs, and dogs one year or younger and larger (more than 45 pounds) were walked for a longer duration than smaller dogs.

A study cited by the London Daily Mail added many more interesting facts:

* Dog owners walk 23,739 miles during their pet's lifetime, according to a study of 3,000 pet owners.

* The average person walks their dog for eight hours and 54 minutes a week, covering 36 miles.

* Combined, that translates to 1,855 miles a year or about 24,000 miles over the aveage dog's lifetime of 12.8 years.

* The average dog is taken on two long walks a day of approximately 47 minutes, and one short walk of about 13 minutes or just over seven miles in the process.

* On average, dogs are taken out five days a week, for a total 535 minutes, or 27,820 minutes walked a year.

Despite the tremendous distances dogs and their owners take over a dog's lifetime, 67 percent of owners think their dog would like to go on more walks, and 41 percent think they should make the effort to get out of the house more often.

And you thought the people on "The Biggest Loser" were demanding trainers.

We know where you can find a workout companion, either on a permanent or temporary basis. Volunteers are always needed to walk dogs or perform other duties at the McCook Humane Society, and always have plenty of adoptable companions. Give them a call at (308) 345-2372, or visit them at 100 South Street in McCook, Monday through Friday, 2 to 5 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

McCook continues to expand its walking trail and has completed a sidewalk to Walmart, so there are plenty of opportunities for you and your dog to hit the pavement. Don't forget to grab one of the baggies to keep the trail inviting for other users.

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