I mentioned yesterday that today’s post wouldn’t be my traditional Follow-Up Friday. No worries, no worries, the post will go off tomorrow and normal activities should resume next week.

The reason we’re deviating from our regularly scheduled blog post is easy, it’s K9 Kamp time!  Created and hosted by Kol’s Notes and Peggy’s Pet Place, it’s an awesome challenge designed to help you and your dog shape up.

I was first approached about this opportunity in the beginning of the month.  To say I’m honored to be asked is an understatement.  I’m thrilled beyond words as there are some amazing bloggers, some awesome sponsors and some truly great prizes. 

For the K9 Kamp kick off we’ve been asked to share our reasons for getting involved and what our favorite activity for keeping fit is.

Well both of those are easy.  We’re getting involved because the health and well-being of our pets as well as you and your pets is important to us.

When Sampson first joined our family and was a little bit overweight I’d always say, “I’d rather have a fat dog that lives a shorter but happy life, than to have a skinny dog that doesn’t seem happy.”

That’s a very naive statement to make but very easy to say when your dog is a year old.  HOWEVER once that sweet little puppy begins to show signs of aging, well you quickly wish you could take back those extra treats and eat your words along with them.

Keeping your dog (and yourself) fit can be a real challenge. When Delilah’s health issues prompted us to make some major decisions, we decided to go all in.  That meant a very strict, monitored diet and daily exercise.

Diet is easy, but I can’t say the same for exercise.  The easiest one I know, that the dogs and I both enjoy is walking.

Sampson is less inclined to do anything more physical than walking, running or wrestling, but Delilah enjoys exercising her mind as well as her body.   Which is why she and I take classes every couple of months or so.  It gives her the opportunity to learn something new and entertains that chocolate brain of hers.

At Delilah’s annual exam last Thursday, she weighed in at a svelte 71.4 pounds, she’s even lost a half a pound or so since last year.  This tells me that our half-hour walks, and the choice of food and treats we are using are working well for her.

Since I have large dogs, it’s important to me that they maintain a healthy weight. This cuts down on their risk for certain diseases, as well as helps lower the stress on their bones and joints.  This is extremely important during the aging process.

One of my favorite photos but you can see how heavy they were.

In fact, when our vet first saw Sampson and Delilah after their dramatic weight loss (Sampson 25 pounds, Delilah 33 pounds) she exclaimed, “You deserve a medal for what you have done for these dogs, you’ve probably given them an additional two to three years of life.”

Now that is something I can get on board with.

Jodi and Peggy have the down and dirty on their blogs, so head on over and check it out. We’d really love it if you’d join us in this challenge, I mean really, what have you got to lose, except maybe the five pounds you’ve been trying to shake?

See you on the trails!

(P.S. Remember if you’re looking for the Follow-Up Friday Blog hop, you can find the link up over at Misty Shores Chesapeakes)