Gardening: The Next Olympic Sport

Well, maybe that's a stretch, but gardening can definitely serve as a good workout.

During these scorching days of summer, my husband and I have been watering the many plants in our yard by hand.  We used to have a sprinkler system hooked up in the back until the work on our new addition began.  And we haven't had a chance yet to get a new one hooked up since the completion of that project.  So at least once daily one of us goes out to water the plants with the garden hose.  Simple enough, right?  Ahh!

I'm short and my balance, although better than it used to be since I've been working out regularly, is less than optimal.  We have tons (I don't think I'm exaggerating here) of red lava rocks all over the back yard (desertscape), which are a bear to walk on.  I'm always twisting my ankles and losing my balance on the little devils.  

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Then there's the hose.  This 75-foot serpent is quite a challenge to maneuver around the yard.  In the course of a watering session (40-60 minutes)  I do the equivalent of triceps kickbacks, bent-over rows, arm raises, tug-o-war, pulling, pushing, biceps curls, squats and more.  Plus, I'm getting a heck of a cardio routine in.  Add in sunshine and fresh air and watering is a pretty awesome total body workout.

Some things to remember when gardening/watering:  

• Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen.  
• Wear a light-weight long-sleeved shirt and long pants to shield your skin from the sun. (I usually wear shorts, and usually finish up with muddy arms and legs and clothes.  Whichever is more fun for you, go for it.  Just make sure you protect your skin somehow from the sun.)
• Watch out for bees and other stinging critters.
• Don't drown your plants.  The "shower" or "mist" settings on your hose nozzle should work well.  Follow care instructions that came with your plants, or look them up on the Internet to make sure your watering them enough but not too much.
• Water early in the day or in the evening when the temperature isn't so hot.
• If you must water when it's toasty outside, take it slow, take frequent breaks, and drink plenty of water.  
• Bring a spray bottle fan outside with you to help cool you off.
• Spray yourself with the hose once in awhile for some relief from the heat.
• Put "snakes" of stepping stones throughout your yard if you have rocks/stones in it.  The stepping stones will help pretty-up your yard and save your ankles and feet a lot of grief, pain, and potential injury.  
• Wear supportive footwear.
• Only work out at your appropriate level of fitness.  If you aren't used to working out, don't attempt to enter into an Olympic event such as Garden Hose Serpent Wrestling.  
• Seriously, don't overdo it.  Yes, you want to stay active, but, that said, you WANT to stay active.  So why overdo it and end up in the hospital or otherwise benched for weeks or months.  Not worth it.

I hope you're having a safe, active, and fun summer!  Take care.

Trying Some New Workouts

Hey there!  I hope you're having a good week.  Last weekend, my husband and I went to the public library.  I brought home six exercise/self improvement DVDs.  This is new for me.  I don't usually exercise to videos, but I'm always looking for new ways to jazz up my workouts, so I decided to explore this avenue to fitness.  I'd like to share with you my opinions of some of these DVDs. (I haven't finished two of them yet--more on them later.)

Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Body & Soul Fitness: Fat Burner (2006):  First of all--WOW!  It includes an introduction, super charged warm-up, a super, super charged workout, and a cool down and stretch.  The aerobic routine wasn't too hard to follow at first, but then the instructor seemed to speed up and up and up, even leaving her team stumbling and trying to keep up now and then. Great routines, lots of energy, appealing music, but beginners may have a hard time to keep up (although one of the team members does regress some movements to show that you can do this routine even if you're a beginner, which I liked).  I like that the DVD has a warm up and a cool down period.  You're going to need it for this high intensity routine.  Something else I liked is that the exercise team members were healthy looking, fit, but not super slim except maybe the lead instructor (a bit).  They looked like normal, fit people, not models.  Will I continue with this workout?  No.  I've decided there was a reason why I hadn't taken an aerobics class or gotten into aerobics videos before now--I don't enjoy them.  But if you're into aerobic exercise, like classes, and are moderately to very fit already, I'd say give this video a try.   

Zumba--Beginners (2004):  This was the next DVD I tried.  The guy started speaking in Spanish which threw me at first, but a member of his team translates what he says into English.  The instruction is done slowly at first, then it's sped up so you can see how it will look when done at a regular pace, which I liked.  The segments are quite short to prevent boredom, but long enough for you to get the hang of what is involved.  Unlike the Body & Soul Fitness DVD, this isn't a full on aerobic workout.  Rather, it's basic instruction for the total newbie.  I linked to the 2-DVD set Zumba--Beginners and Zumba--Advanced on Amazon.com just because it's the only one I could find that pictured the DVD that I borrowed from the library.  I may try a DVD that includes actual full on routines similar to the Body and Soul Fitness one just to see how that would go.  Zumba--Beginners didn't convince me to take up Zumba, but maybe a different one would.  We'll see.  I might stick to dancing to my favorite music on my own without having to mess with learning specific steps.  I think that would suit me better.  

Pilates/Yoga for AnyBody (2005):  Next up!  This one has an instructor introduction which I liked.  She talks about how she came to combine Pilates and yoga and so on.  It has a "Before We Begin" section on what's needed for the practice, a warm up, strength and endurance routine, flexibility routine, and a cool down.  I've never tried Pilates or yoga, so this was all new to me.  And I realized while attempting the movements that I'm much less flexible than I thought I was.  I got myself tied up in a few knots with this one.  Ah well, it was good for a laugh and I got a great workout.  I was surprised how tired I was after such a low key workout.  I think with practice I could enjoy Pilates and yoga, but separately.  She's an excellent instructor.  I didn't really like the combined routine, though; maybe because I've never practiced either one.  I think I would much rather try beginner yoga and beginner Pilates individually.  

Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Relax Mind & Body: Meditations to Soothe and Center (Inner Mastery Series) (2007)  This is a nice one.  There are two guided meditations (Levels 1 and 2 Skills to Soothe and Center).  She's knowledgable, thorough, explains everything, takes it slow, and speaks clearly.  I'm no expert, but I've practiced meditation off and on over the years and this is up there with the best DVDs I've tried.

So, there you have it.  What do you think of my selections and reviews?  Have you tried any of these DVDs?  I'd love to try others.  Any suggestions?  What are your favorite exercise DVDs?  I'd love to hear from you.  Be sure to leave a comment below or email me at iwrite41@yahoo.com.  Thanks!  Take care.

Keeping Up with Your Exercise During Wintry Weather

Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Hey there, folks.  I hope you had a good weekend.  Lots of places are snowy right now, so it might be hard for you to get out and about to exercise.  But you can make a snowman or snow fort, have a snowball fight and the like to burn calories.  Once the roads clear out, or even beforehand if you have some land, you can go skiing, skating, snowshoeing, and sledding right out the back door.  

Where I live is sunny and quite mild in comparison to the areas of the country being hit by snowstorms, so my husband and I did some yard work over the weekend.  We put some muscle into trimming trees and bushes for a few hours in the afternoon.  It felt so nice to be out in the fresh air.  It was still a bit chilly, but we worked up a bit of a sweat during the clean up.  

I'm anxious for the days to get even longer so we can go for walks later in the day.  By the time we finish work, there isn't much daylight left, and I don't like to walk in the dark.  Especially not when it's chilly.

Whatever the climate or weather conditions, find something active to do.  Don't wait for the perfect conditions for a particular activity like running, walking, skiing or snowboarding.  Do something else in the meantime instead of hanging out on the couch watching TV.   If you're snowed in, walk in place, use the treadmill that's gathering dust in the basement, dance around the house, play charades...anything that gets your heart pumping.  If you can safely navigate the roads, hit the slopes, hiking trails, or the gym.  The important things is to keep moving, while also staying safe.

Take care out there!  Feel free to sign up for email updates and also visit my website Making Fitness Fun for all sorts of information on fitness.  Have fun!

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a great time over the holidays.  I also hope you were able to keep the weight gain to a minimum.  

For me, the holidays were crazy busy.  Lots of fun getting together with friends, spending time with my husband and our fur-babies, and volunteering.  I also spent a lot of time eating.  Since menopause kicked in several years ago, my mouth has not listened to sense.  No matter what the trainer in me thought, I just kept shoveling in food.  I've also had little energy for exercise, especially the last couple months of 2013.  

What's the deal?!  Here I am a trainer and I'm stuffing my face, and exercise is no longer a passion.  Menopause is a bear, let me tell you.  It throws all your senses out the window.  I've struggled the last few years and regained a good portion of what I'd lost between 2007-2009.  I'm thankful I'd lost those 25 pounds before I hit menopause big time.  Otherwise I'd weigh considerably more now.  

But there is good news.  I don't know if menopause is waning or I'm just becoming stronger in my ability to fight the cravings, but I've started 2014 with the determination to lose weight, be more active, and live healthier.  It's as if on January 2 a switch was flipped.  I have a totally new outlook on life.  I've recommitted to exercise, working out most days of the week again.  I've also cut out junk food.  Maybe it's because I'm turning 50 soon.  It seems as if 50 is the wake up call of ages.  Although I don't consider 50 old, the older we get, the higher the risk for health problems.  And I don't want being a bit chunky to cause those health issue to crop up.     

I've always eaten quite healthily (I grew up on a farm and my mom grew a huge vegetable garden, plus we had fruit trees, so we always had lots of nutritious foods to eat and I've continued eating in that way through adulthood), but the snacks get me.  Chocolate, and Hershey bars in particular, is a huge weakness.  I could go without pretty much anything else when it comes to snacks, but if chocolate is in the house, I find it, and devour it.  It's crazy!  It doesn't help that my husband has a sweet tooth but can pace himself.  He can save sweets for weeks.  They're sitting there staring me in the face, or hidden on a high shelf--either way, I know they are there. 

Having a treat now and then is fine, so I don't expect to ban chocolate from my diet, but I'm taking a break from it for a couple weeks to get my system back in order and my head on straight.  I intend to treat myself to a bit of my favorites next weekend though.  That's when I turn 50 and, while I'll eat sensibly for the most part, I'm not missing out on my chance to have chocolate and maybe a frozen yogurt sundae.  I'd much rather have that than cake.  But then on the 13th, I'll be back to eating healthy again.  

If you've been waiting for a good time to start getting fit, it's now.  If you've been into fitness in the past but have fallen off track, get back on it now.  Join me in a commitment to fitness in 2014 and beyond.  Let me know what you plan to do in this New Year to live a fitter, healthier life.  Take baby steps and build up to more aggressive workout and meal plans over time.  You've got to start somewhere and it all counts.  And remember, make it fun!  Email me at iwrite41@yahoo.com or comment below.  Here's to a healthy, fit, and happy New Year!  Take care.  

Getting Fitness Back

Hello again!  Today's post is for all of you who were enthusiastic about fitness for awhile, but then something happened.  You're not sure what exactly, but you started skipping workouts and snacking on unhealthy treats you hadn't had in months or years.  You also started gaining back the weight you were so determined to keep off.  I'm there, too.  

Yep, I'm a fitness coach. Coaches just don't do that, right?  Ah, I wish.  We also have our weaknesses.  Some can keep their old habits at bay better than others.  

Menopause is what interfered with my progress.  My appetite ballooned.  I started eating everything in sight, even though I kept telling myself it was not a good idea.  "What are you doing??!  You're a fitness professional, for Pete's sake!"  But that didn't seem to help much.  It seemed as if I had two minds--one that was directly connected to my mouth and out of control and the other that was rational and horrified at what was happening.  I started to find some of those 25 pounds I'd lost.  

Of course, even during this time off the tracks a bit, I have eaten healthy consistently.  I've just been snacking on too many treats and taking extra helpings.  My exercise has suffered too.  Although I've continued to walk and hike, I haven't done much weight training.  I'm not as energetic as I used to be.  I can't seem to get the motivation to do weight training.  I've put together a few different weight training programs to help boost my motivation, but they haven't been that successful.  It doesn't help that I've been injured during weight training over the years more than during cardio.  

But something happened over the past week that made me sit up and take notice.  Actually, I fell down and took notice.  I've had health issues since birth (courtesy of spina bifida), including problems with balance.  When I started working out on a regular basis, my balance was so much better.  I hardly ever fell.  When I tripped, I'd catch myself pretty easily.  That was such an improvement!  Well, in the last week, I've fallen twice.  Once on a walk and again over the weekend at a store.  When it happened on the walk, I was upset.  When it happened at the store, I was livid.  I smacked my nose and it bled quite heavily.  It didn't break, but could have.  

Enough already!  I'm healthy.  I'm strong.  But I can be healthier and stronger with more consistent exercise and better snacking choices.  It just took a nose dive for me to realize that my behavior wasn't acceptable any longer.  Never was.  Yes, menopause is still nagging me, but it's a natural part of my life and not a death sentence.  I'm determined now to stand up to it, realize what is happening to me and why I'm craving everything in sight, and refuse to cave in.  Sure, a treat is fine now and then and a day off from exercise is too, but I've renewed my commitment to consistently healthy choices, for life.  Please join me.

What has caused you to reduce or abandon your fitness routine?  Please share your story with me and what you plan to do to get back on track again.  I'd love to hear from you.  Leave a comment below or email me at iwrite41@yahoo.com.  Thanks!  Take care.

Labor Day Weekend Activities

Hey there.  Sorry it's taken me so long to get this post in.  Busy playing catch up after the holiday weekend.  The weekend was basically jam packed. 

First, we took our parrot to the vet, about a two-hour trip one way.  There isn't an avian vet in our neck of the woods.  She's healthy, yay!  We managed to make quick stops at Trader Joe's, Jamba Juice, and other favorite shops, taking turns staying with Hannah in the car.  Anybody a TJ's or Jamba Juice fan?  Any favorite products/flavors?  I like all sorts of stuff at TJ's, but specially the produce, breads, and pasta.  And, at Jamba Juice, I like Strawberries Wild and Razzmatazz, but decided to try something new on this trip--Aloha Pineapple (strawberries, bananas, and pineapple sherbet).  Tasty!  I'm glad I chose something different.

That night, we went to a football watch party.  We belong to a football club.  We get together at area restaurants and members' homes during football season to watch college games.  Good group.  Lots of fun.  Only trouble with this season is that most games will be at a Mexican restaurant and I don't eat Mexican food much.  I'm okay with home-made nachos now and then, but anything else just doesn't appeal to me or it's too spicy.  Hopefully someone will offer to host a game soon.  We're hoping to host later in the season ourselves.  We did last season and loved it.

We also went on a couple of hikes over the weekend:  A local nature park on Sunday and Zion National Park on Sunday.  Fun, fun!  Got a lot of steps in, plus burns calories big time.  It felt good to explore and get some fresh, although it was still quite warm.  By the end of each walk, I had started getting a headache.  Not good.  I'm SO looking forward to fall weather, so we can get some really good hikes in.  My husband wants to start bicycling again, too.  A couple years ago he road his bicycle across his home state of Nebraska, 500 miles a day for not quite a week.  He was awesome!  I drove the support vehicle.  It was so much fun!  Anyway, on the Zion hike, we saw a hummingbird, mountain goats, butterflies, blue jay, lizards, and various other wildlife.  No mountain lions, though.  Beautiful creatures, but I would not want to meet one face to face.  Yow!  We weren't in the back country, but still didn't see very many people.  We didn't head into Zion Canyon itself this time, but rather the East Rim Trail.  That explains it.  It would have been packed with people this time of year. 

After our Zion hike, we went to a pub for supper.  We were eating on the patio and they had their misters going.  Ahhhhhhh!  Felt so nice after the heat of the day's hike.  Then, it started raining on top of that.  We stayed put while others decided to move inside to finish their meals.  It was a refreshing light rain.  Had it started thundering, well, then I would have made a beeline inside.  But this was gentle.  I find a soft rain relaxing. 

My husband and I also played charades.  I've gotten so I love that game.  It's a great way to get exercise in little bursts to add to your total for the day.  Although it's usually a party game, we have a ball just trying to get each other to guess various words.  It's guaranteed to get you laughing, too, which is a bonus.

Did you stay active over the holiday weekend, or chill out?  Share, please.  As for this coming weekend, try something different.  Choose an activity that you've been wanting to try, or used to do but haven't in awhile.  Break the routine a bit--freshen it up.  Let me know how it goes.  Have fun! 

10,000 Steps a Day, Part 6: Safety and Considerations

Courtesy of Pixabay.com

With any activity, whether you're exercising around the house, at the gym, outside, or on the playing field, safety is number one.  Progressing too fast, overtraining, and not practicing good form during exercise will more often lead to  injury than a healthier, fitter, stronger, faster body.

Safety

• If you experience chest pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath, stop exercising and seek medical attention immediately.
• Avoid increasing steps by more than 500 per day.  That's about a quarter mile.
• If you push too hard, you may suffer an injury that could sideline you for months.  Avoid it.
• Stay well-hydrated when exercising.  Bring water with you.
• Follow all facility and traffic rules.
• If walking outside, consult the weather forecast and dress accordingly.
• If you are going to walk alone, make sure you tell a family member or friend your route and how long you plan to be gone.
• Bring pepper spray or other forms of protection.
• Walk in a safe area.
• Be aware of your surroundings, changes in walking surfaces, and people and animals around you,
• Bring your phone and maybe even a whistle to call for help if needed.
• If walking in your neighborhood or around town, wear bright/reflective clothing so you are more easily seen by motorists.

Considerations

• It takes several months for a new habit to become routine.  Don't get discouraged.  If you have an off day, get back out there the next day and try again.
• Wear your pedometer on your pant waistband above the hip, so it can monitor leg movement more accurately.
• There are many pedometers on the market.  Price and functions vary.  Some are basic, only tracking steps, while others track calories, distance, aerobic steps, regular steps and more.  Choose one that is easy to use, has good customer and industry ratings, and provides the functions that you prefer.  

I hope you enjoyed this blog series and found it helpful.  As always, I welcome feedback.  Please let me know what you think of this series.  If you have an idea of another fitness/nutrition-related series you'd like to see covered here, let me know.  I'll definitely consider it.  Take care.  Happy walking!

10,000 Step a Day, Part 5: Ways to Increase Your Steps

Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Ways to Increase Your Steps

There are many ways you can increase the number of steps you take each day.  We've become a more sedentary society since technology came along.  It's time to get up and move, any way you can.  

• When you're at home, place your phone where you can  hear it if it rings, but it's not right with you.  
• Walk your dog
• Use the stairs instead of the elevator
• Park your car at the far end of the parking lot when you go out and about to shop, attend community events, go to appointments, go to the gym, and the like
• Walk to visit neighbors, shop, and run errands, if possible
• Go for a walk in a park, around the neighborhood, or at a nearby nature trail with your family and friends
• Lose the remote control--get up to change TV channels
• Go for a run or jog
• Take a 10-minute walk after each meal
• Walk or pace while talking on the phone
• Set a timer for 30 minutes throughout the day to remind yourself to get up for a walking break
• Walk in place at your desk every hour
• Play with your cats--walk around the house with a laser.  Most cats love this
• Play active games such as Charades, Musical Chairs, Tag, and Simon Says
• Play volleyball, football, tennis, or frisbee at gatherings with friends and family in addition to sitting and chatting.
• Have a treasure hunt
• Plan active vacations--hiking, volunteering, walking tours, walking/running a 5K for charity, or walking across your city, county, or state (some of these take some time to work up to--don't push yourself too hard, but also don't limit yourself.  Working toward an ambitious goal is an awesome idea.)

What did I miss?  Do you have other ways you fit in steps throughout the day?  Please share them with me here in the comments below, or email me at iwrite41@yahoo.com with "10,000 Steps," in the Subject line.   Thanks.  Have a great day!

10,000 Step a Day, Part 4: Tracking and Adding Steps

Courtesy of Pixaday.com

Tracking and Adding Steps

To get up to 10,000 steps per day takes time, and tracking, but you can do it.  Take that time and build on the foundation you've laid, for health.  

Tracking::

• Put your pedometer on when you get up in the morning and take it off when you go to bed at night to track each day's steps.
• Log your steps daily to monitor your progress.

Adding:

• Once you've completed the first two weeks walking with the pedometer just to see how many steps you normally take to find your baseline, it's time to set a new goal to challenge yourself.  For two more weeks set a goal of walking the same amount of steps each day that you walked on your highest step day from the previous two weeks.
• Keep adding about 500 steps to your daily total per two-week periods until you reach 10,000 per day.  For example, if you walked 1500 steps daily for two weeks, try bumping up the daily total to 2000 steps for the next two weeks, 2500 for the following two weeks, and so on.

Next Up....Ways to Add Steps 

10,000 Steps a Day, Part 3: Getting Started

Getting Started

Okay, so you want to start a walking program with a goal of 10,000 steps daily.  First, though, there are some things you need to do to get yourself off on the right foot.

• As with any new exercise, talk to your doctor first, especially if you are over 40 years old, have been sedentary for a long period of time, or have a chronic health condition.
• Get a pedometer and log your steps daily for a couple weeks.  Don't try to increase your steps at this point.  Just see where you are as far as steps go by engaging in your normal, everyday routine.
• Wear comfortable clothing.  Fancy workout garb is not required.  Comfy t-shirts, sweats, and shorts will work just fine.
• Start slow and build up your steps as you gain endurance and strength to avoid injury.  Take your time.  Exercise smart. 
• Wear supportive, sturdy walking shoes.

Next Up....Tracking and Adding Your Steps

10,000 Steps a Day, Part 2: Benefits and Effectiveness

Benefits and Effectiveness

Benefits:

• Boosted circulation
• Sharper mind
• Better sleep
• Reduced stress
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower body fat
• Reduced heart attack risk
• Reduced dementia risk

These benefits can lead to others, including getting along better with family, friends and coworkers, performing better on the job, and fewer injuries and illnesses.

Effectiveness:

Walking 10,000 steps daily helps you meet physical activity guidelines, but it doesn't guarantee that you will meet them and see health benefits as a result.  Good health is based on many factors besides exercise, including genetics, environment, nutrition, attitude, tobacco and drug avoidance, alcohol limitation, and good sleep habits.

Up Next...Getting Started

10,000 Steps a Day: What's It All About? Part 1

Hi!  You've heard that you should get 10,000 steps in each day.  Why that magic number?  What are the benefits?  What's it all about?  I'll be answering these questions in the next few blog posts.  Here were go!

In 1996, the Surgeon General reported that Americans were not active enough.  He recommended that we increase exercise by 30 minutes daily and do it at a moderate pace (you start to sweat and feel as if you're getting a workout, but you can still carry on a normal conversation) to benefit our health.  But what if you don't have 30 minutes to spend at the gym or engaged in physical activity all in one shot?  That's where the 10,000 steps come in.  You get the equivalent of that recommended exercise by making it a point to take extra steps throughout the day.  

Where Does That Number Come From?

To get to this magic number of 10,000 steps, several factors are taken into consideration.  Stride length, for one.  The average person's stride is about 2-1/2 feet long.  Another factor is distance.  To walk a mile at this stride length, a person would have to take about 2000 steps.  So, walking 5 miles daily will result in taking about 10,000 steps.  You'll burn about 100 calories per mile of walking at a normal pace, so walking 5 miles daily will help you burn 500 calories.  It takes burning 3,500 calories to lose one pound, so at this walking pace you may be able to lose one pound per week.  The healthy rate for weight loss is one to two pounds per week.

Up Next Benefits and Effectiveness of walking 10,000 steps.

Fun Weekend

Happy Monday, All.  I hope you had a fun, active weekend.  My husband and I hosted a summer celebration party.  Oh my goodness, so much food!  But we did our best to make healthy dishes.  We used turkey instead of beef in some casseroles and other favorites.  We also had sugar-free, fat-free, and gluten-free offerings.  We usually eat healthy and we're finding that more and more of our friends are, too.  It's a good idea when planning a party to take this into consideration, including food allergies and special diets.  You don't have to make everything gluten-free or sugar-free, but make an effort to provide a couple different choices for those on special diets. They'll appreciate it.  We burned off some of the calories with two rousing rounds of Charades.  Lots of laughs and great memories. What is your favorite healthy dish to serve at a get-together?  Share with me via the comments here or via email (iwrite41@yahoo.com). Wishing you happiness and health.

Beware of Dogs

There is little that scares me more on a walk than coming across a loose dog.  The dog may be perfectly friendly toward family and friends, but to a stranger he could be trouble.  I have not gotten bit or attacked yet, but I have been chased, sniffed, and barked and growled at.  My beef is with the owners.  Why is their dog running loose?  Because of the possibility of encountering loose dogs, I never walk alone, and when I walk with my husband or a friend, I always bring spray, in case a dog becomes aggressive.

I know people who think confining dogs is cruel.  They think dogs should be able to run free.  I beg to differ.  A loose dog could get hit by a car, bite your neighbor, knock down a child or an adult who is short or has balance issues, relieve himself on the sidewalk or in someone's yard, get into garbage cans, get into a fight with another dog, and so on.  For these reasons and more, dogs should not be left to run free.  If you don't have enough room in the house for your dog to play, or a secure place outside for him to do so, you need to rethink owning a dog.  He shouldn't be cooped up, but he should also never be a menace to others.

My husband and I live near a park.  We love walking there.  But recently we've seen an increase in the number of loose dogs playing and walking with their owners around the park.  The hair stands up on the back of my neck whenever I see a loose dog there.  A sign is posted at the entrance stating the rules of the park, including keeping dogs leashed at all times.  Still, the dogs run free.  We have not experienced aggression from any of the dogs as yet, so we haven't reported them, but others have.  Animal control is closed by the time these people bring out their dogs, though, so there isn't much they can do unless a dog bites someone.

So, we have had to go on our walks either very early in the morning or late in the evening.  And we still see some loose dogs even then.  We've also gone to a different park a couple times.  But the last time we were there, it was crawling with dogs--all leashed, though, at least.  Even so, there was an attack.  A pit bull, tied to a tree, attacked a tiny dog that crossed his path.  The little dog's owners didn't see the pit bull when they ventured onto the grassy area near the tree.  The pit bull pounced and grabbed the little dog in its mouth.  Well, all heck broke loose.  Crying, screaming, barking, screeching, people trying to get the big dog away from the little dog....it was nuts.  I felt so bad for the little dog and her owners.  I kept my distance, but my husband ventured closer. 

These two dogs were leashed!  What would have happened had they not been?  The little dog didn't get hurt from what I heard, but it could have.

My message to dog owners is:  Keep control of your dog at all times, and keep an eye on him at all times--in public and at home.  He's your responsibility, and you should honor that responsibility.  Parks are there for everyone to enjoy, and we all should be able to do so without fear of being bit or knocked down.

My message to exercisers is:  When you're exercising outside, always bring  a cell phone, dog spray/Mace, and a buddy.  Keep a look out for loose dogs if you walk your dog (leashed, of course) around the neighborhood.  If you see a loose dog and know whose dog it is, let the owner know that you would appreciate the dog being leashed or otherwise secured in their yard since you walk around the neighborhood.  If you are attacked/bit, scream your head off to let others around you know that you're in trouble.  Seek medical attention as soon as possible.  Always be aware of your surroundings and try not to get yourself backed into a corner.  Talk to your local animal control officers about what you can do if confronted by an aggressive dog, and the laws pertaining to dogs in your area.  

Good luck!  Wishing you happy and safe walking!