Tag Archives: pets

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 31:23 Why We Love Being the FitLabPGH Labs

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Labrador Lesson for 8/4/23:

Why We Love Being the FitLabPGH Labs.

Today’s Labrador Lesson is a combination of Friday Fun and weekly gratitude. Three reasons we’re thankful to be the Labs of FitLabPGH. 1. We get to move most days, and we love to move. 2. When we move, our humans make it all about us (our pace; shade; soft surfaces; water breaks; and leashes to keep us safe). 3. Our humans (a.k.a., The Staff) know we’re more than walking buddies, and we’re not just accoutrements…they treat us as part of the family.

Our take home message to the dogs out there: Move more. Move often. Be thankful for your humans, just as they’re thankful for you.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 30:23 Protect Our Paws

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Labrador Lesson for 7/28/23:

Protect Our Paws.

As Labradors, we enjoy moving outside year round. We’ve mentioned that we prefer walking/hiking on soft surfaces, especially during the Summer because soft surfaces usually stay cooler than hard surfaces. We don’t want to burn our paws! One disadvantage of soft surfaces? It can be harder to spot dangerous debris (glass, thorns) on soft surfaces. So our request to you is to be alert. Watch where you’re walking…especially if you’re walking with dogs who aren’t wearing shoes. We’d like to avoid having a piece of glass (or a thorn) stuck in one of our paws. Even though you probably wear shoes, broken glass can hurt you too…so be alert, and do your part to keep trails and parks free from broken glass!

Whether you’re a human or a dog, get outside and move more this Summer…and when you do, be alert, watch for dangerous debris, so that you and your dogs can keep moving safely through the Summer.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 29:23 Summer Safety Tips from the Labs

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Labrador Lesson for 7/21/23:

Summer Safety Tips from the Labs.

As Labradors, we enjoy EVERY opportunity to move…but we know that moving through the Summer requires certain safety precautions. Here are our top 5 tips to keep your dogs moving safely through the Summer heat.

1.Get moving early (avoid mid-day heat). 2. Seek shade to reduce radiant heat. 3. Seek soft surfaces- easier on the joints + soft surfaces stay cooler, offering some paw protection. 4. Move at the dog’s pace. 5. Bring plenty of fluids. The Labs enjoy @berkey_filters filtered water in their own @nalgene bottles.

Whether you’re a human or a dog, get outside and move more this Summer…and when you do, follow simple precautions to keep you moving safely through the Summer heat.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 28:23 Keep Your Humans Moving

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Labrador Lesson for 7/7/23:

Keep Your Humans Moving.

As Labradors, we enjoy EVERY opportunity to move…even when it’s hot…or cold…or rainy…or snowy…Humans don’t necessarily want to go for a walk/run in what they consider to be “bad” weather. It’s your job, as a dog, to remind your human that tired dogs are happy dogs (even if they’re wet, dirty, tired dogs). Once you get the humans outside and moving, they may remember that movement is fun, and healthy, for dogs AND humans.

Whether you’re a human or a dog, remember that movement is good for your physical and mental health! Take home message from the Labs to all the dogs out there: get your humans to make movement part of your lifestyle (and part of their lifestyle).

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 27:23 Celebrate Movement

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Labrador Lesson for 6/30/23:

Celebrate Movement.

As Labradors, we enjoy EVERY opportunity to move…even when it’s hot…or cold…or rainy…or when the air quality is bad due to Canadian wildfires…Humans sometimes focus on the negative aspects of their movement practice…weather, crowds, difficulty level…instead, try focusing on the positive…celebrate your opportunities to move.

Whether you’re a human or a dog, remember that the opportunity to move is worth celebrating! Move more. Move often. Celebrate your opportunities to move.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 26:23 “Rest” Is Not a 4-Letter Word

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Labrador Lesson for 6/23/23:

“Rest” is not a 4-letter word.

As Labradors, we like to move every day. Our humans mix in longer and shorter movement sessions, but after 7-10 days of walking/hiking/running, we’re due for a rest day. We may get a bit stir crazy by the end of that rest day, but our humans tell us that regular rest days reduce our risk of injury and help us keep moving throughout our lives.

Whether you’re a human or a dog, remember that Rest is not a 4-letter word. Design a movement plan that incorporates rest and includes activities you enjoy. Move more. Move often. Make time for rest and recovery.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 25:23 Paw Protection Reminder

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Labrador Lesson for 6/16/23:

Paw Protection Reminder.

As Labradors, we like to get outside to move year-round, but when the heat of Summer arrives, we need to take steps to protect our paws. While we can do a great “hot girl walk,” we want to avoid a hot paw walk!Our humans adapt our route to seek shade and soft surfaces. If we need to walk in the sun, we avoid the mid-day heat, and our humans test the surface temperature with their hands before we put our paws at risk. If the surface temperature gets too warm, we’ll cut our walk short or find a cooler, soft-surface route. The goal is to keep moving year-round…without risking an injury.

Move more. Move often. Adapt your movement routine as necessary to keep your 4-legged friends safe and healthy through the Summer.

 

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 24:23 Set Realistic Movement Goals

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Labrador Lesson for 6/9/23:

Set realistic movement goals.

As Labradors, we like to get outside to move year-round, but goal-setting is not in our wheelhouse, so we leave that to our humans. Our humans set realistic goals to minimize our risk of injury so that we can continue to move throughout our lifespan. If you’re setting goals for your 4-legged friends, remember the goal needs to be realistic for their needs and abilities. Our humans choose a movement plan designed to keep us cool, comfortable, and safe.

Move more. Move often. Set realistic movement goals for yourself, and your 4-legged friends, that will maximize your ability to keep moving for the long-term.

 

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 23:23 Adapt for the Seasons

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Labrador Lesson for 6/2/23:

Adapt for the seasons.

As Labradors, we like to get outside to move year-round, but we know our movement routine needs to adapt with the seasons. In late Fall and Winter, when temps drop below freezing (and ticks are less active), we take our humans hiking in the woods. When temperatures rise, we still seek soft surfaces, but to minimize the heat of the sun and tick exposure, we look for shady sections of the local Rails-to-Trails. We also get out early to avoid mid-day heat and stop for water breaks. Our humans carry a @nalgene bottle filled with @berkey_filters water for us.

Move more. Move often. Adapt your movement routine as necessary to keep moving safely throughout the year.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 22:23 Remember Your 4-Legged Friends When Planning a Vacation

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Labrador Lesson for 5/26/23:

Remember your 4-legged friends when planning a vacation.

Some vacations are perfect for including your 4-legged friend (a road trip to a pet-friendly destination). Other vacations require you to leave your pet(s) at home…when you can’t travel with your pet, do your homework to insure the best possible staycation for your 4-legged friends. If you have a friend or family member who can pet-sit, great! If not, get referrals and do your due diligence before choosing a pet-sitter or boarding facility.

Move more. Move with your pets. Factor in your pets when planning a vacation.