Fitness for Dogs

Reporter Bettie Cross of CBS station KEYE-TV in Austin, Texas visited the Zoom Room Austin on Monday to explore the fitness benefits of dog agility training for both dogs and humans. This timely story, airing just after New Year’s Eve, addresses that resolution so high on so many people’s lists: getting in shape. The trick, of course, is finding an active pursuit that you actually love. And for dog lovers, what could be more perfect than agility training?

It seems like many pets and their owners have at least two things in common, too much food and too little exercise. Studies show 40 to 50 percent of dogs are packing too many pounds. As for people, who doesn’t want to shed a little weight? So in zooms the latest way for people and their pooches to firm up their friendship. Whether you have two legs or four, the key to getting fit may be having the right partner. At the Zoom Room in north Austin the people/pet combo has everyone panting. A new study by the University of Massachusetts rates keeping pace with a furry friend as a vigorous activity. Good news for those on both ends of the leash.