I'm a dog person. After much pleading, I got my first dog for my tenth birthday, and have had a dog for most of my life ever since. My kids are also dog people. They've never known life without at least one dog sharing their home. When things aren't going great, I know I'll find them with Laya (short for Himalaya), talking things out with the assurance that they won't be judged.
I also know that if I say we're taking Laya to the off-leash park, they'll be up for it regardless of whether they're happy, sad or mad. The freedom a dog feels running off leash is infectious, and there's no better stress reliever I know of that you can do on a moment's notice. As soon as the car door opens and Laya jumps out, the boys are off and running too. They'll chase Laya for as far they can, then just keep running. When they were younger, the main draw for the off leash was meeting new dogs, but now they spend as much time goofing around at a high rate of speed as they do greeting friendly furry faces. By the time we get back into the car, they've gotten as much exercise--and way more fun--as they would have from a half hour jog.
So when I saw this I thought: What a great idea. James and Erica at Evocative Photography have made a name for themselves photographing dogs. This year,
they committed to taking their dog, Jake, out for at least 30 minutes a day. That's 30 minutes of exercise for both the dog and the walker in the great outdoors. It's a great way to bond with your dog, and it's an even better way to bond as a family--and trick your kids into exercising.
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