Burn Those Calories!!

Lately Phoebe has been very interested in what lies beneath the piles of dried grasses that populate our park. Most of the time it is birds but there must be something with a tail because she gets so absorbed in chasing the scent of these critters that she will not come, even when tempted with a treat. Phoebe rarely turns down food so whatever is there must be very distracting.

In the meantime, it seems as if I am spending the better part of our walks backtracking, traipsing after Phoebe over hills and dales and brush and thorns and muck, and pleading (well maybe sometimes commanding) with her to return to the trail. All of which must be burning a lot of calories.

At least that is what a recent article in the London Daily Mail reports. A British study found that, on average, dog owners get more exercise walking their pet than people with gym memberships. On average, the study found that pet owners walk their dogs twice a day for about 24 minute, which totals 5 hours and 38 minutes per week.

In addition, the average dog owner indulges their dog in about three long walks each week, which adds about 33 minutes to the total. Non-pet owners spend about 1 hour and 20 minutes a week exercising, with or without a gym membership. And far worse, almost half of non-pet owners do nothing.

According to a spokesman for the pet health care company, Bob Martin, for which the study was done, "A couple of short walks a day soon adds up and this research shows that it amounts to more time than people spend in the gym."

May studies have shown the therapeutic effects of pet ownership on loneliness and depression. But this one confirms what pet owners already know: walking is good exercise for those on both ends of the leash.

But don't tell Phoebe.