Written by Anne Serena
There are only a handful of things in life better than coming home to your dog after a grueling day of training. There's just something so calming about spending time with our beloved pets. For many of us, our dogs are the only ones we have with us during this time of social distancing making them especially important during these stressful times.
Now, we can attempt to go into the science of this but I'm sure any dog owner will understand just how much relief and comfort being their dogs gives to them. Indeed, it is this comfort that has made dogs one of the most beloved animals in the world. In fact, there is a whopping 600,000 pet adoptions happening annually in India alone. However, these numbers don't tell the full story.
In the UK, a Gala Bingo survey found that not only do 62% of Brits consider their furry friends part of the family, and that 1 in 10 dog owners actually celebrate their pet’s birthday with a 'special birthday cake.'
Not to be outdone, premium dog services have become a $225 billion industry in the United States. This makes perfect sense, as the US has always been one of the biggest pet-owning countries in the world. Just last year, the American Pet Products Association details that there around 90 million dogs in the country. The sheer number of dogs in the country explains why there now a multitude of dog walking services in New York City.
Whether it be the calming effect that they have on people or our constant desire for companionship, it's no surprise why we call dogs man's best friend. You'll also be glad to know that the benefits of having a dog don't end with mental health. Having a dog can actually be good for your physical health as well. To learn more about this, read on for a quick rundown of how walking your dog can improve your training regimen.
Helps You Build Habits
Dogs, just like you and I, also need a certain amount of physical activity and as their owner, it is your responsibility to walk them regularly. Now, we understand that you may not completely love cardio, but it's an incredibly important and necessary aspect of Muay Thai training. Luckily, having a dog can help you build the habit of doing regular cardio. In fact, The New York Times details that dog owners spend close to around 300 minutes of dog walking per week.
Keep Up The Pace
However, it won't just be the amount of cardio you get but also the increase in the quality of your training. Dogs, on average, run at around 20 miles per hour. Depending on your dog's breed, age, and overall physical wellbeing it could be a little bit more or a little bit less. This means you'll have a routine jogging partner that may or may not tire more quickly than you. Nevertheless, having your dog around will undoubtedly help you keep (or sometimes even push) the pace.
Better Together
Lastly, cardio can often feel like a long and tiresome grind. "Time flies when you're having fun," is how the cliche goes but you'll soon realize how true this is when going on runs with your dog. It also helps that jogging and walking your dog are part of the few things that you can still do despite the current social distancing recommendations. You can even throw in some simple activities such as playing fetch to make cardio an even more enjoyable experience.
We here at Hit House have a soft spot for animals. So much so that we host events geared towards helping them out. If you want know more about this, check out our article on Kickboxing For A Cause: Puppies & Fitness VI.
Written by Anne Serena, exclusively for Hit House