You’re sitting alone in your bed watching Netflix, and there’s absolutely nowhere else you’d rather be, but there’s a little problem—your dog is staring at you with those sad eyes that you can’t resist. You haven’t taken your dog out for a walk today because it’s winter and there’s not much you can do with your dog in the winter—right?
You’re wrong. Don’t let the cold weather freeze up your exercise routine.
You can easily get creative with your little pooch and take him or her out for a date that they’ll never forget. But don’t just think of it as taking him or her out for some exercise; use it as a way for you to get active, too.
Set your alarm clock for 30 minutes earlier and before you leave for school in the morning, put on your earmuffs and gloves and grab your puppy’s leash. You’ll make the little furball’s morning by saying, “Wanna go for a walk?”, watch the little guy bounce off the sofa and into your arms—or maybe you have one of those little pug dogs that just look at you like you’re crazy. Take your dog out for a 20 to 30-minute walk; it’s an excellent way to start the day off without anxiety or stress, and it’ll freshen up your mind and allow you to plan your tasks for the day—oh, and it counts as physical exercise.
I’m not trying to remind you to walk your dog or tell you the secret to becoming your parent’s favourite kid—I’m letting you know that getting creative with your dog’s walks can improve your and your dog’s mood and physical health.
This winter I went home for Christmas and asked my little brothers to go out tobogganing. We were about to leave without our yellow lab until we saw her sad eyes. We thought she’d be a hindrance, but turns out her running around, chasing us up the hills with our sleds, and throwing snowballs into the snow watching her wonder where the white ball went was the highlight of the whole evening.
Long story short, my brothers and I, who usually go to bed at one o’clock, fell asleep watching Polar Express at 10 o’clock because we were so exhausted.
If you’re like me and are easily amused by something like playing dog tag, simply go outside in your backyard or a park and play tag with your dog—labs and shepherds always win.
