Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound: How You and Your Dog Can Lose Weight, Stay Fit, and Have Fun Together (New Directions in the Human-Animal Bond Series) [Perfect Paperback]

Phil Zeltzman (Author), Rebecca A. Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2011 | Series: New Directions in the Human-Animal Bond

A dog is an ideal workout partner: always supportive, happy to go for a walk, and never judgmental. When people and dogs exercise together, fitness and health happen on both ends of the leash. As the obesity epidemic spreads, 70 percent of Americans and 50 percent of dogs are overweight or obese, resulting in staggering health care costs and suffering. The causes, consequences, and treatment for the overweight and obese are strikingly similar in people and dogs. Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound, written by an expert veterinary surgeon and leading nurse researcher, helps you move from a food-centered relationship with dogs to an exercise-centered relationship. This volume is designed for dog lovers, dog owners, and families. Based on the latest scientific findings, it will also help professionals (including physicians, veterinarians, and physical therapists) fight obesity and promote fitness in both people and pets. Never has there been a more compelling time for innovative approaches to increasing physical activity, reforming sedentary lifestyles, and enhancing fitness. Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound provides specific strategies for people and dogs to exercise together, lose weight together, and have fun in the process.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Zeltzman, a veterinary surgeon and veterinary journalist, and Johnson (gerontological nursing and public policy, U. of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction) explain how dog owners can fight obesity and promote fitness by exercising with dogs. Arguing that people and animals experience many of the same illnesses and can benefit from the same solutions, they draw many ideas from the Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound project in Columbia, Missouri, to explain benefits for both humans and dogs, assessing risk factors and health indicators, the importance of fitness to ward off disease, guidelines and safety, clothing and equipment, support systems, walking in groups, and non-walking activities. (Annotation C2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

About the Author

Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS, is a traveling, board-certified veterinary surgeon near Allentown, Pennsylvania. His professional interests include soft tissue, orthopedic, cancer, and neurosurgery. A prolific international speaker and writer for twenty-five years, he has often written about pet obesity. He writes an award-winning, free, e-mail-based newsletter read by pet lovers in all fifty states and twenty-eight countries (visit DrPhilZeltzman.com). He is a contributor to Dog Fancy, The Bark, and Veterinary Practice News. Rebecca Johnson, PhD, RN, FAAN, is Millsap Professor for Gerontological Nursing and Public Policy at the University of Missouri. She holds a joint appointment at the College of Veterinary Medicine as the director of the Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction (visit rechai.missouri.edu). Author of over forty publications, she is called upon nationally and internationally to speak about human-animal interaction. In 2010 she was elected president of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 150 pages
• Publisher: Purdue University Press (May 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557535817
• ISBN-13: 978-1557535818
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #763,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I walk more than ever now! October 26, 2011

By dr mary

Format:Perfect Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I just got back from walking my dogs and realized how many more walks we have gone on since reading this book. It is an inspiration for both 2 and 4-legged walkers. Also, Walk a Hound educates readers about the plight of shelter dogs and the efforts being made across the country to raise public awareness and adopt more dogs. There are many healthy tips and informative resources. I highly recommend this book to my clients to benefit both themselves and their animal family members. I keep a copy in our office for easy reference.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Summer Read August 11, 2011

By Debra

Format:Perfect Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a dog owner, and walker, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book (purchased on Amazon by the way!), about the benefits of something I took for granted!
The content is a great exploration of how we can enjoy better health in ways that are enjoyable and actually add to our quality-of-life. After reviewing the activity chart, I enjoyed "counting" my steps to see where I fell on the activity levels each day. I later learned from a friend that Weight Watchers now incorporates walking as an exchange value for extra food points in their new program, which simply reinforces the benefits of this activity. In addition, the book is a useful reference for a variety of related activities, organizations and groups that promote better health for walkers and their dogs. Overall, it was a great summer read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Walk a hound Lose a pound December 22, 2011

By Mary Rice

Format:Perfect Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book has many helpful tips to weight loss as well as conditioning, at the same time as providing your dog with the same healthy benefits from a simple walk.