Tag Archives: Pittsburgh

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 18:23 Don’t Get Ticked Off

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Labrador Lesson for 4/28/23;

Don’t get ticked off.

A reminder from the Labs before you opt outside to enjoy Spring hiking, biking, walking, or running…while ticks don’t have an official “season,” the arrival of warmer temperatures means ticks will be more active. 3 tips to reduce your dog’s tick risk. 1. Use flea & tick meds year-round and get the Lyme Disease vaccine if recommended by your vet. 2. Check your dog (and yourself) for ticks after every outdoor movement session. 3. If temperatures are above freezing, stay out of tall grass/vegetation. Bonus tip: check out the TickEncounter Resource Center at www.tickencounter.orgfor tips on tick bite prevention and post-bite resources.

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, awareness is key for a safe, healthy Spring and Summer!

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 17:23 Share the Space

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Labrador Lesson for 4/21/23:

Share the Space.

As Labradors, we love to move outside year-round. We’ve noticed that in the Spring, we have more encounters with other park/trail users as outdoor spaces get are more crowded than they are in the Winter. We encourage you to have fun outside, but remember to be aware of your surroundings, especially of other people and dogs. Not all people want to meet your dog…and not all dogs are friendly. Leaving an extra buffer of space allows everyone to enjoy moving outside.

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, Spring is a great season to #getoutside and get moving. When you do, share the space, so that we can all enjoy our outdoor adventures.

 

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 16:23 Be Present for Your Pets

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Labrador Lesson for 4/14/23;

Be Present for Your Pets.

As Labradors, we’re happy anytime we get outside for a walk/run/hike…but we’ve noticed some humans don’t pay attention to their dogs when they’re in the park or on the trails. If you are more focused on your phone or your workout than your dogs, this message is for you. When you take us out for a movement session, that movement session is about our health and happiness. Stay alert. Be aware of dangers (things we can eat, wild animals, off-leash dogs, hot weather). Shorten our leashes, take breaks, or cut short the movement session as needed to keep us safe. Please. Thank you.

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, you get more out of a movement session if you stay safe and healthy! And from what we can see, humans would get more benefit from moving if they turned off their devices and focused on being present.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 15:23 Human Treats Aren’t for the Dogs

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Labrador Lesson for 4/7/23;

Human treats aren’t for the dogs.

As Labradors, we will eat anything…whether or not it is likely to make us sick. We know that humans often have food-based gatherings of friends and family during the Spring (Ramadan, Passover, Easter, and more), so we want to remind you to keep an eye on your celebratory food. Dropped food isn’t the only risk, as some dogs are counter-surfers and others have feline friends to knock food off the counter for them. A trip to the emergency vet can ruin your holiday celebration (even if we fully recover).

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, enjoy your holiday celebrations, but make sure your 4-legged friends don’t get too close to harmful human treats.

 

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 14:23 Spring Safety Reminders

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Labrador Lesson for 3/31/23;

Spring Safety Reminders.

As Labradors, we love to move outside year-round. We’ve noticed that in the Spring, we have more encounters with wildlife…and with other park/trail users. Here are our top 3 Spring Safety Reminders. 1. Beware of harmful wildlife (e.g., skunks 🦨 or porcupines). 2. Watch out for off-leash dogs…even if the owner promises the dog is friendly. 3. Resist the urge to approach/pet an unknown dog without the owner’s permission.

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, Spring is a great season to #getoutside and get moving. When you do, take simple precautions today, so that you can keep moving tomorrow.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 12:23 Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Play Safely.

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Labrador Lesson for 3/17/23;

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Play Safely.

As Labradors, we love to play. We don’t wait for holidays or special events. We celebrate little things in life, like climbing a big hill. And we make play part of our everyday lives. We won’t be drinking green beer (or any other beer) to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but we understand this is a holiday when humans like to get together for drinks with friends. If you’re one of those humans, we encourage you to play safely and responsibly.

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, make play part of your lifestyle…and when you do, please play safely today so that you can continue to move and play tomorrow.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 11:23 Spring is Coming. Beware of Ticks.

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Labrador Lesson for 3/10/23

Spring is Coming. Beware of Ticks.

A reminder from the Labs before you opt outside to enjoy Spring hiking, biking, walking, or running…while ticks don’t have an official “season,” the arrival of warmer temperatures means ticks will be more active. The humans spotted the first ticks of the year on Puddin the yellow lab this week. Spring IS a great time for hiking…with, or without Labradors, but when you step off the paved path, you step up your risk of an encounter with ticks…that doesn’t mean that you should be afraid to get outside and get moving…but it does mean you should be aware of the danger of ticks…check out the TickEncounter Resource Center @tick_encounter for tips on tick bite prevention and post-bite resources…and check yourself (and your dog(s)) after each hike / walk / run / outdoor adventure. Also, consider tick repellent; avoid tall grass and overgrown vegetation if possible; and talk to your vet about the Lyme Disease vaccine for dogs. Whether you have 2 legs or 4, awareness is key for a safe, healthy Spring Season!

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 10:23 If You Eat Crap, You May Feel Like Crap

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Labrador Lesson for 3/3/23;

If you eat crap 💩 you may feel like crap.

The Labs enjoy quality dog food and healthy snacks…they also have a tendency to eat whatever temptations they find on the ground, including, but not limited to, rabbit poop, deer 💩, sticks, acorns, and stink bugs…when they consume too many of these found objects, their digestive systems don’t function well…that was the case for Maggie earlier this week after she discovered some rabbit poop in the backyard. While Maggie has recovered, she wanted to share this lesson with our human followers because they’ve heard humans occasionally eat food (or consume beverages) that we know won’t agree with our systems, then whine when we don’t feel our best.

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, consider what you put in your mouth, and how those foods or beverages are likely to impact your body. No judgment here…sometimes you REALLY want the ice cream…even if you’re lactose intolerant…just know that what you consume has a direct impact on how you feel.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 9:23 More Fun. Fewer Expectations.

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Labrador Lesson for 2-24-23:

More Fun. Fewer Expectations

As Labradors, we love to move. We enter every walk with no expectations; we simply look forward to having fun with our humans. We understand that sometimes humans have expectations for their movement sessions. They want to jump over a certain fallen tree, or achieve a specific pace or distance. We know that having goals is important for humans, but we suggest you approach your movement session with an open mind and a positive attitude. Just because your movement session doesn’t meet your expectations doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun. Even though the large tree had been cleared, we still enjoyed chewing on the sticks the trail crew left behind.

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, look for the positive aspects of your movement. Focus on having more fun and fewer expectations.

 

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 8:23 Share the Trail with Humans

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Labrador Lesson for 2-17-23:

Share the Trail with Humans.

As Labradors, we love hiking the local trails with our humans. Whether you naturally keep right (like Maggie) or meander around the trail (like Puddin), when you encounter oncoming humans, step off to the right to give them space. Believe it or not, not everyone wants a close encounter with someone else’s dog. And not all dogs want a close encounter with someone else’s human.

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, Share the Trail so that ALL trail users can enjoy their outdoor movement experience.