As I saunter slowly toward the beginnings of my eighth decade on earth, picking through the rubble of our democracy, I’m glad to have my mastiff/lab Val at my side. She does wonders for my physical and mental health.
Here are some Val-uable lessons I’ve learned from my dog:
Mellow Mornings
When Val was a puppy, I took the 2am – 9am shift; now that she sleeps hard for 12 hours every night, I still get up early to sit with her on the couch. Her snores and occasional belly rub requests help temper the daily news.
Expanded Exercise
As I was leaving the physically challenging part of my career, my doctor recommended I start taking daily walks. My new regime isn’t on par with daily acrobatics but it’s still no walk in the park: At 8am sharp, Val lets me know that it is time to do my Pilates/doggie cuddle routine before getting the leash, which will then need to get used twice more every day.
Easy Eats
My doctor started dropping hints about intermittent fasting a few years ago; finally, Val got me on the program. It hit me that she eats at 9am and 5pm (with treats in between). She’s a big dog but she doesn’t click into breakfast mode until we get home from our walk. I figured if she can do it, so can I. After a few weeks my stomach had the new schedule down. Of course, I call my mid-day treats “lunch,” but following her schedule has helped me lose a dozen pounds.
I have always had, and enjoyed, an erratic schedule. But now that I can, I’m happy to become a creature of healthful habits.
