Puppy Love

I was visiting my soon-to-be-in-laws this past weekend. Most people aren’t excited to visit any types of in-laws, with the “soon-to-be” variety being the worst because there’s still the need for impressing them. And yet, I was excited. The reason was of the four-legged variety… a new Labrador puppy. Who doesn’t like a puppy, right?

This puppy’s name is Winston. Winston could quite possibly be the most attention-starved puppy in the long and glorious history of attention starved puppies. He needs constant attention. If you’re not petting him, he’s pawing at you. If you’re not playing tug-of-war with him, he’s shoving his slobber-filled rope in your face. If you’re not taking him for a walk, he’s peeing on the carpet. And I’m pretty sure he’s not peeing because he has to go to the bathroom. I’m pretty sure he pees in the house because he knows doing so will get him attention.

Lucky for me, I only had to deal with this puppy for a few days, and that’s why I can laugh off his neediness (and the smell of urine mixed with carpet cleaner). As for my soon-to-be-in-laws, I think they’re trying to figure out a way to pawn Winston off as a wedding present in a couple months. I just hope he comes with a gift receipt so I can return him.

However, from a weight loss and Reshape the Nation perspective, I’m pretty sure puppy might rank right up there with rice cakes as a great and healthy way to lose weight. My in-laws are forced to walk Winston three to four miles each day just to try (in vain) to sap him of some of his energy. And I think they chase him around the house for at least another two miles. And while this exercise might not be the accelerators Chris Powell recommends, exercise is exercise. Which is kind of the point of this post. Am I advocating if you don’t have a new puppy you should run out and get one? Well, yes, but that’s only because I love dogs. More importantly, I’m pointing out how exercise comes in different forms and with different incentives. You don’t have to go to the gym. You don’t have to motivate yourself with the idea of looking good in a bikini. Maybe you just got a new puppy, and being active and healthy for that puppy is exercise and motivation enough.

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