Exercising with Your Pet

The Motivation of a Partner

The benefits of working out in a group setting have been proven on more than one occasion. For starters there is the support of others with whom to enjoy some form of camaraderie, as well as to inspire one to reach greater heights due to the friendly competition. This is why many people consider group fitness to be far superior to working out alone, the idea being that most individuals require external motivation as well as social pressure to maintain focus. But for those who own pets, a middle ground may be available—one which provides the benefits of a group setting without the potential drawbacks associated with same.

Beyond the simple aspect of friendship, pets require exercise to the same degree as their owners. Thus hamsters love to run on wheels, cats love to chase mice, and dogs love to chase cats. More importantly, exercise is just as healthy for your pet as it is for you, and they receive the same benefits from exercise as human beings. Exercise promotes healthy cardiovascular activity within your pets, which increases their energy levels, and helps them to avoid weight given the fact that many pets live sedentary lifestyles. Taking them out for a run is the perfect opportunity to provide your pet with the exercise it needs, while at the same time providing you with a social aspect to your own exercise regimen.

The Benefits

The University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction hosted the International Society for Anthrozoology and Human-Animal Interaction Conference in October of 2009 in Kansas City, with the goal of discussing mounting evidence suggesting that living with a four-legged friend actually has a variety of health and life-enhancing advantages. Rebecca Johnson, Associate Professor at the MU Sinclair School of Nursing and the College of Veterinary Medicine, and Director of the ReCHAI, stated that, “Pets are of great importance to people, especially during hard economic times. Pets provide unconditional love and acceptance and may be part of the answer to societal problems, such as inactivity and obesity. Research in this field is providing new evidence on the positive impact pets have on our lives.”

To prove their point, in 2008 ReCHAI sponsored a program called “Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound, and Stay Fit for Seniors”. The research examined geriatric individuals who had dogs, the impact of exercising with their dogs, and the subsequent effects upon their lives. For roughly three months each participant in the program was asked to walk on an outdoor trail for at least one hour, five times a week. At the end of 12 weeks the scientists documented improvements in the overall activity levels of the participants. According to Dr. Johnson, the individuals who walked with their dogs improved their walking capabilities by 28%. “They had more confidence walking on the trail, and they had increased their speed. The older people who walked with humans only had a 4% increase in their walking capabilities. The human walking buddies also tended to discourage each other and used excuses such as the weather being too hot.”

Another research study published in the Journal of Aging and Health by the University of Portsmouth in the UK showed that interaction between humans and dogs enhanced the physical and psychological health of geriatric individuals. Additionally, psychologists at Queens University in Belfast reported in early 2009 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine that those individuals with cats or dogs as pets reported improved quality of life even though diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Psychological or Physical

Realistically, it is simply the psychological aspects of owning a pet that likely helps increase an individual’s performance levels. It is a fact that regular exercise promotes higher levels of energy and improved health. Beyond the simple aspects of longevity and reduced risks of diseases, better sleep, less fatigue, and more energy, regular exercise promotes healthy living. As suggested by Dr. Johnson, one problem that can exist when working out with human companions is that excuses can often arise regarding the weather, the terrain, the type of workout, or the like. Exercising with pets, as would be expected, avoids such temptations.

Animals are excellent companions with respect to exercise because they will never complain, create excuses, behave in a judgmental fashion – their sole desire is to spend time with their owners. This is the reason why over 60% of Americans currently own pets. The psychological aspects associated with walking or running with your pet have physiological benefits as noted above. So put aside space in your day to spend quality time with your pet, and enhance your frame of mind, as well as enjoying the healthy benefits provided. Your heart will thank you, as will your pet.

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