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"If you have a pup, you know that the little guy needs exercise&amp;amp;#8212;but it should be more than just a daily walk. A recent study by the National Research Council found that one out of every four dogs and cats in the Western world is obese. People are at increased risk for diabetes and heart disease with a lack of physical activity, and the same holds true for our sweet pets too. And there are lots of opportunities to get out and moving with your dog&amp;amp;#8212;which means there&amp;#x27;s exercise motivation in it for you too! In fact, this month, The Rock &amp;#x27;n&amp;#x27; Roll Los Angeles Halloween Half Marathon (benefiting the ASPCA) takes place, where runners can actually walk or run with their pups. But there are other reasons to exercise with your animal&amp;amp;#8212;because it&amp;#x27;s good for both of you, according to Dr. Louise Murray, vice president of the ASPCA Animal Hospital: &amp;quot;In addition to helping with conditions such as joint disease, diabetes, and respiratory difficulty, plenty of exercise helps dogs avoid behavior issues that may arise due to excess energy or boredom,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;Exercising with your dog is win-win: good for both you and your dog physically, and mentally as well! Just be sure to check with your doctor, and your pet&amp;amp;#8217;s veterinarian, about safe types and levels of activity you can enjoy together.&amp;quot; In fact, &amp;quot;Always talk to your own doctor if you plan to participate; activity level should be gradually increased. To avoid heat stroke, on warm days avoid exercising your dog during the middle of the day; it&amp;amp;#8217;s cooler in the early morning or evening,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;If it is not safe for you to have vigorous activity, you can exercise your dog by throwing an object for her to fetch, such as a ball or Frisbee. Even moderately paced long walks are good exercise for both you and your dog if either one of you has medical restrictions.&amp;quot; So! For even further inspiration, here are some cute vids of animals exercising (because who doesn&amp;#x27;t need those?): And, yes, this is a baby sloth: Do you work out with your pets? How do you make sure they get enough exercise? Photo: Thinkstock; Videos: YouTube"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2013/10/exercising-with-your-pets-why>