Health Tips & Articles
Exercise Your Pet
For years I had promised my twin sons, now sixteen years old, that I would get them a dog when we moved to a place that had plenty of acreage. I explained to them that a dog needed lots of land to roam free and explore. I knew that keeping a dog inside wouldn’t work out for our household considering we are gone quite frequently and there would be no one available to let the dog out. If we had a dog, it would have to be one that stayed outside. Last year we moved to a farm that had plenty of land and I was reminded of my promise that I had made to my sons. Quite frankly, I didn’t want another responsibility and so I kept putting my promise off. I had a good excuse, considering that as soon as we moved into our new home on the farm, my health took a turn for the worse and I had to go through heart surgery. But, you can only delay a promise so long. My oldest daughter called and told me of a lady at her work that had a litter of beagle/labs. She told me they would be weaned from their mother the weekend before Christmas.

My promise hung around my neck like an empty Christmas stocking on the mantle. So, I decided to obtain not one but two puppies for the boys. My idea was that two dogs would keep each other company. I surprised the boys and my daughter that weekend by taking them for a drive to get their new puppies. On the long drive home, my sons named their new puppies, Charlie and Rascal. The newness of this experience, watching my sons hold the puppies, was a “mom” moment for me. These fuzzy little pups opened up a part of my heart that I did not know existed. As I watched my sons love on the puppies, I knew that my promise was a keeper. We decided to keep Charlie and Rascal in our insulated garage. My car was moved outside so that their new home would have plenty of space for them to explore. Light was shining into the numerous windows in the garage as they boys showed the puppies their new home. Our Christmas was memorable as it brought back child like attitudes and innocent love as we experienced Charlie and Rascal.

Three months have passed and the puppies continue to soften our hearts. I watch as my son wakes up early and spends time with the puppies before heading off to school. He has taken responsibility for these pups as he feeds them each day and takes them for long walks on the farm. My other son and daughter also love these dogs, and help out with them when they are home. Proverbs 12:10 addresses the importance of taking care of our animals, “A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal.” I believe this includes feeding, loving and exercising our animals each day.

These puppies have helped me include more cardiovascular exercise into my day. Entering my home each afternoon I can hear them at the garage door pleading for me to take them for a walk. I must keep them on a retractable leash during our thirty minute walks. Without a leash, they would run off into the woods and keep going. On the few occasions I have tried to walk them without a leash, the results have included jumping over barbed wire fences with mud from top to the bottom. And that was me! There have been many times in recent days that I will find my son and the pups asleep in the garage together. All three piled up in a folding chair undisturbed by my presence. When my son takes them out for a walk, he doesn’t need a leash. The dogs wander off into the woods for a little while and then he calls them back and they return to his side. They have learned to listen to his voice. He is the one who deeply loves them and cares for their every need. I am amazed that they listen to his command.

So many times I am reminded of how each of us appears as puppies in the master’s care. When we commit all that we are to him, then we can recognize his voice when he calls to us.



Go Back...