The Labradors rely on their “staff” for planning and executing their movement activities. They would like to share their top 3 essentials for dog walks. 1. Leashes and collars (so the staff doesn’t wander off). 2. 💩 bags (leave no trace). 3. A positive attitude…meaning a dog walk is all about the Labs…not about Ben’s Strava achievements.
Move more. Move often. When you move with dogs, put their needs first.
When the Labs get outside to walk with their human staff, they make sure to keep the human on a leash. Their top 3 reasons for keeping Ben on a leash? 1. To keep Ben from getting distracted and wandering off. 2. Some people/dogs don’t appreciate an unleashed human running up to greet them. 3. To keep Ben safe (no darting off into traffic).
The #1 goal when you move outside is to get home safely. Move more. Move often. If you’re a dog moving outside, leash your human so that you all get home safely.
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 last week after she foraged a few too many acorns on our hike. 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.
As Labradors, we make time to play every day…whether we’re wrestling in the living room, having zoomies in the backyard, or hiking with our humans, we enjoy our movement and play time.
We understand that humans sometimes get caught up in “crushing” their movement or workout goals, but we encourage you to take a tip from us…make time to play. Whether you have 2 legs or 4, it’s easier to make movement part of your lifestyle if movement feels less like work and more like play!
“Perfect” weather for the Labradors is below freezing with plenty of snow. If we waited for those “perfect” conditions, we’d get about 4 walks a year. So the Labs, and their staff, adapt to conditions and keep moving year-round.
Move more. Move often. Have fun with your movement. Remember to take breaks for chin scratches, belly rubs, and the occasional pup cup.
The Labradors don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. If something in their routine needs to be changed, their humans make the change right away. But if you made New Year’s resolutions this year, now is a good time to check in. We’re just over a month into 2024. Are your resolutions realistic given your life (responsibilities, schedule, etc…)? Are your resolutions designed to improve YOUR quality of life or were they shaped by pressure from your peers or social media? If your resolutions aren’t working for you, change them!
Move more. Move often. Move for yourself. Move with your dogs. Have a happy, healthy, movement-filled 2024.
We haven’t moved to another hemisphere; this is a never-before-released Labrador Lesson from October 2023. The message from the Labs: don’t interfere with other trail users. Whether we’re walking, running, or shooting videos, we stay aware of our surroundings, so that our actions don’t interfere with the ability of other trail users to enjoy the trail. We give plenty of space when passing others (or being passed by runners or cyclists), and when we’re stopped, we step completely off the trail. Little actions can make a big difference in making the trails an enjoyable place to move.
Move more. Move often. Share the trail by not interfering with the activities of other trail users.
Whether you’re waiting to achieve a movement goal, or waiting for snow, try to be patient. We know; easier said than done. The Labradors have been desperately waiting for significant snowfall, and it’s finally here. They couldn’t be happier!
Move more. Move often. Remember: achieving movement goals takes time. Be patient.
FitLabPGH brought to you by Moving2Live promotes the ethos #movementisalifestyle each week movement tips a week & a Lab Lesson aka learn from the Labradors.
This week the Labradors remind us to Embrace New Adventures
Our movement tips: Embrace Cooler Weather & Be Prepared For Unexpected Weather