Frisky fitness

When a kid hears a parent say, "Walk the dog", I imagine he sees a looming item on a dreaded to-do list; it just sounds like a chore. To the contrary, when kids learn young, the intrinsic value of taking a routine walk alongside their best four-legged friend, they're more likely to carry the practice into adulthood as a chosen activity. While at first walking the dog may seem like an obligation that cuts into web-surfing or video game-playing time, at some point the feel-good aspect of the "pack walk" becomes rewarding in and of itself, and eventually, a once-loathed representation of "exercise" becomes an enjoyable part of a sustainable lifestyle.

My goal is to teach kids that walking with one's dog is a meaningful activity; something friends do together on a sunny afternoon. Something that is empowering, enriching and healthy all at the same time!

This is what I hope to communicate to the participants in my Frisky Fitness program, kicking off this winter at Sierra Middle School in Bakersfield, CA. The project is, in part, to fulfill the requirements of my Master's degree in Canine Life Sciences at Bergin University of Canine Studies. The premise is to incorporate dogs into P.E. classes for 6th-8th graders, allowing students to experience the marked contrast between class games and activities that include dogs, and those that do not. And then compare their feelings toward physical education from surveys taken before the program begins and after it ends. Throughout a four-week session, dogs will be integrated into P.E. games that require kids to walk and jog with the dogs on leash, find their collective way through an obstacle course, and see their own energy levels as reflected in their dogs' behavior.

My hypothesis is, quite simply, that kids will have a more favorable attitude toward physical education – and hopefully physical activity in general – once they've experienced the fun of frolicking with Fido. Furthermore, my sincere and conscious intention is that these kids will embody what they learn in the class, bring it home with them, and "unleash" its lasting effect on their own pet dogs. The ultimate vision is kids and dogs, loving their daily walks together, forever...you know, as best friends do.

For more information: http://www.friskyfitness.net.