Want to lose ten or fifteen pounds naturally? Buy a dog. That’s right, walking your doggie daily keeps you both fit. It my not have the benefits of aerobic exercise, such as, jogging, swimming, bicycling, and so forth, but a brisk walk is still a terrific daily exercise (for both you and your pet):

* It strengthens the respiratory and circulatory systems
* Increases oxygen to tissue cells
* Helps keep you slimmer and trimmer
* Keeps the muscles toned and joints flexible
* Energizes, entertains and stimulates the mind
* Helps the digestion process

The Negatives? None.

I can give you a perfect example. My mother, in her seventies, was a little over weight. When she got her toy poodle “CC” she began walking him around the neighborhood daily. After several months, she lost, according to her, about twelve pounds. And all she did was walk the dog every day. No other changes in her habits.

She didn’t keep the weight off, however. Why? She stopped walking him. Because CC (for cute and cuddly) was just so darn cute, several of the neighbor kids fell in love with him and they began coming around asking my mother, “can we take CC for a walk?” Naturally, she let them and thereafter she walked him only when the kids were not around. So the moral of this story is, don’t get a dog so cute the neighbors want to adopt him. Or if you do, have the fortitude to say, “thanks but I need the exercise, too.”

Some experts claim regular walkers have fewer incidence of breast cancer, colon cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other deadly diseases. They say regular walkers live longer and have a more positive attitude toward life in general.

Walking is a terrific way to lose weight and keep it off. And you don't have to walk that long. As little as 30 minutes a day can produce positive benefits. You'll burn fat, tone up muscles and feel healthier (if not righteous)

There are plenty of books and magazines on the subject that delve much deeper into the subject that I have, so I won't belabor the point that not only will benefit your doggie but you too.

With Quincy, we walk once or twice a day. We walk every day in the morning, without fail. Rain or shine, cold or hot, clear or storming, dry or in two feet of snow, we walk every morning. Evenings are optional and depending on the weather we walk evenings too. But we rarely ever miss a morning.

Another good exercise for your dog (unfortunately not so beneficial for you) is having him fetch a frisbee or a tennis ball. Quincy never did take to a frisbee, but he can chase a tennis ball all day long. A tip: when you first start playing fetch with a tennis ball, use two. That way when he catches the first tennis ball and is a little reluctant to bring it back, show him the second ball you have in your other and call him. That usually brings them back so you can retrieve the first ball and repeat the process. Soon, he’ll bring it back without coaxing and you’ll need only one ball to play the game.

Whatever form of exercise you choose, remember walking is the best for both of you. The benefits of walking for you have been well published: controls weight, adds flexibility, enhances muscle tone, improves digestion, and walking, as with all exercise, generally boosts your overall feeling of well being. And these same benefits are applicable for your dog. Plus they ward off boredom for your dog, and maybe for you as well. Not only that, it’s just plain FUN.