“Marching along;” Wellness Wednesday, 3.3.2021

I said this week the “4 leggers” would have a word. 

Fenway, canine, just turned 15, part wire-haired Griffon, part chocolate lab.

Cauldron, feline, nearly 4, mostly black and a little white, short-haired cat. 

What some experts say about dogs: 

  • Dogs are capable of reading human body language and tone to decipher our intentions. 
  • Dogs can communicate through body language and sound that enable us to understand what they are thinking.
  • Dogs may rely on humans, but they also use their skills to manipulate their owners.  (Note: When training a pup, if you say “sit” and the dog does not, and you repeat it, “sit”, maybe even give it an early treat to entice a change, and a third time you say “sit” and the dog obeys.  Voila, your dog has trained you to say “sit” 3x before they do what you ask.) (Source: dogisworld.com)
  • Want to learn more about cats?  Visit moderncat.com   There is much to say about training, love, guilt, anger and socialization of cats.  Who knew?

Fenway, aka Fenner, Fenjamin, Boomba, Snortbottom, FenFen, thinks that working from home is most excellent because for her it means multiple outings and many neighbors on the local paths with new smells.  Some even drop food bits.  Fen also has a small pack of medium sized two-leggers at home attempting grades K-8.  She is exhausted to keep track of them all day and show them where the treat jar is.  So much to teach.  

Cauldron, aka Black Kitty, Maniac and Wild Thing, dains to wander the rooms with his tail swishing, awaiting any calm moment to insert himself into the action by screeching across the floor and bouncing off windows, chairs and that FenFen. 

So if you’re on the phone with me for an advising appt. and you hear crashing or laughter, it’s the four-leggers.  Reminding me to find joy in the simplest things.  

One other thing that brings me joy, daily exercise.   The top two reasons people exercise?  To be more fit and maintain/lose weight.  Third reason?  Stress reduction.  Find something that feels good when you’re doing it. And enjoy the “after glow” of increased calorie burning, relaxed body and mind, and that sense of accomplishment.

If you can fit in one more credit for spring term, take an LBCC PE class – Walk for Health, Body Conditioning, Circuit Weight Training, Yoga or Sand Volleyball await you.