Looking for that perfect pal at your fitness programme? Well, what are pets for then? Those who have pooches at home, may just be lucky on this front. After all, they are the lifelong loyal companions to man. Haven’t we all seen the dog on the HMV record label silently listening to his master’s voice, caught in rapt attention?

Or the retired senior citizens promenading with their poodles in a green park pathway and at the lakeside, every early morning? Or for that matter, the hunters slithering into deep forests to make a kill with a gun and a dog by their side? Even while driving a jeep en route to one’s farm-house on the outskirts, a furry-buddy serves as the best sounding-board. Hence, exercising with them will be more of an experience than a drab drill. And that feel of tremendous joy and thrill can certainly not be discounted. It’s an added perk, isn’t it?
At the fag end of a hectic day, the very sight of your pet dog, running up and down the house, barking at the top of his voice in order to welcome you and continuously wagging his tail to follow you throughout the house like a serial stalker only to remind you that it’s time for his much-awaited walk, surprisingly lightens up your mood so much so that you completely tend to forget and ignore the whole day’s worries. Feeling absolutely refreshed, you wade your way out of the stress-rut and feel revitalised.

Pace up and down with your pup:
A leisurely stroll with your pet dog on the sidewalk irrespective of his breed can really be interesting, keeping in mind the following pointers:
Most of the time the dogs are the leaders on an unsolved mission, because they sniff every square inch possible, thus ordering us to follow them to the most bizarre places. This can even take an hour, which is precisely sufficient as a form of exercise for a single day.
Dogs are extremely sensitive creatures. So the minute you pretend to run away from them, they take no time to drop their tails down to come sprinting towards you. Do this running for half an hour and you are through with your daily exercise quota.
Running or fetching is another form of exercise which not only speeds up your dog’s metabolism but your own as well. This helps burning off the calories further and is excellent for your heart rate.
Obstacle walk with your doggy on a leash can also be conveniently done in the backyard of your building. Walk him briskly with running in intervals through the obstacles.
Climbing stairs together with your canine friend is also a good card workout.

Mind over matter:
The above-listed exercises were just the physical benefits derived from having a pet hound at your place. However, the mental and emotional benefits are beyond imagination. Today, with the stress and tension soaring, stroking your pet’s fur and patting his back may demonstrate a better de-stressing mantra than any other tension-reducing activity. To lead a dog’s life is no way advisable but making a dog part of your life is worthy enough to say the least. With an ability to absorb all the negative energies, a dog has the power to radiate an exuberant amount of positivity solely with its presence around you and your family. You may say, it magically converts all the minuses into pluses. In today’s times, from the lonesome singles to childless couples, all want to adopt a cute pet to fill an empty void in their homes and lives.
It is often said that, “friends for life can never have fewer than four feet”. Hence, a dog at your doorstep is never a bad idea at all. Dogs are the only creatures who would listen to your problems, anxieties and the aggravating distress levels just to comfort you like no other since they are believed to possess a healing nature. As I said, dogs fill a vacuum with heartfelt human emotions like love, compassion, care and a sense of belonging — that way, they are indeed endowed with a therapeutic property. They are conscious and intuitive four-footed animals. They bark out when danger looms large. They bite and scratch to defend themselves, and in the same vein of seriousness, they never wince before licking your feet and fingers to feel the warmth of your touch. I mean, they don’t stop at ensuring only a streak of temporary joy.