An Ode to Dogs (and walking)
Wendell, my Lab, up close and personal.
This post is exactly what you think it is, because what animal is as wonderful as that sweet fur face with four legs, the canine?
Yesterday, my neighbor commented when I walked outside, “boy, we were just taking about how dedicated you are to your dog walks. This sure proves it!”. Sure, it was 4° with 20 mph winds, but if I let silly things like ‘wind’ and ‘cold’ stop me, I would never leave the house. And bodies need movement, be they canine or homosapien.
Lately I’ve been struggling with some sinus issues that sap my energy. Do I still walk the dogs? Yep! Here’s why: I’m very rarely too sick to walk. By getting light to moderate exercise outside, I’m avoiding spreading my germs to my wonderful friends at the gym AND my all-important lymphatic system gets a boost. One of the main functions of the lymphatic system is immunity, and the way to get it going is to move your body. It doesn’t have a circulatory system and depends excursively on skeletal movement and breathing.
Does this mean you should run a marathon with a cold? Of course not. Overexertion when your body is already stressed can be a bad thing.
It’s gusting up to 55 mph as I write these words, but I still took the dogs out this morning. The value of good outdoor gear cannot be underestimated and a windproof shell with a solid hood with a good audiobook through earbuds can be a good defense against the misery of high winds. But do the dogs mind? They sure don’t! And a 30 – 40 minute walk every morning is the least I can give them for their unconditional love and support. Besides, it does my body good, too.
NOTE: Our litigious society has me paranoid that I should insert “I’m not a doctor so consult someone with an MD behind their name before beginning any exercise regimen.” There, I said it.
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Mountain Kidd is Michelle Kidd, an active woman living for adventures with Wendell, the black lab(ish) dog. Michelle works as a freelance graphic designer and copywriter from Casper, Wyoming. 
Shell–I think so long as you don’t call yourself a doctor or a health expert, or charge people to follow your exercise habits, you are safe. Your blog is pretty well protected by free speech. Love to Wendell.