With last year’s HIF Dog ‘n’ Health Games a huge success, I hope by now that you have registered for this year’s event at: www.everydayhero.com.au/event/dog-n-health17
We learnt from the event how much fun it can be working out with our pets - from shuttle runs to push ups to pet squats and obstacle courses.
The one thing that surprised me from last year’s HIF Dog ‘n’ Health Games was the relationship between pet and owner, you could genuinely see and sense the companionship between the two.
It was great talking to some of the participants after the Games to see what they got out of it. Some of the responses included:
- Heaps of fun/ great enjoyment
- Physical activity
- Bonding
- Cardiovascular workout
- Social interaction.
A healthy lifestyle goes hand in hand with pet ownership and we are lucky in Western Australia to have an abundance of open spaces to utilise and exercise with our pets. The benefits of owning a pet are not only physical but mental too.
I definitely believe that pet ownership leads to an improved and healthier lifestyle giving us greater physical and mental emotional well-being, combined with the confidence and strength we gain from the incidental exercises attributed to pet ownership.
Here's a short video of myself and my dog Boots, having a little workout together at the local park. Why not give this a go the next time you're out and about with your fur-kid?
I hope you can make the HIF Dog ‘n’ Health games on Sunday 30th April for a morning of healthy fun for the whole family that includes circuits for adults, kids and our four legged friends and is of course is helping to raise much needed funds and awareness for the Dogs’ Refuge Home.