How Walking Their Dog Helped This Couple Lose Weight

Two years ago when the Brandywine Valley SPCA contacted Anne and Vic Tenaglia and requested them to foster Jingle, a Pitbull Terrier they had no idea that the canine would help them to shed 80 pounds. The couple acceded to the request from the SPCA which had rescued the dog along with 11 others from a shelter which was also doubling up as a fighting ring.

Life in the fighting Ring had made the pit bull terrier anxious apart from leaving several wounds on his body and had also made the dog underweight. The Tenaglia’s were initially hesitant to foster the animal but were also concerned about the kind of distress the dog was going through. The couple decided that the dog couldn’t be left in the shelter and decided to foster him.

Walking to calm an anxious dog

The dog that the Tenaglia’s fostered warmed up to them immediately but displayed a sense of anxiety because it was obsessively gnawing at its tail and the only method which proved positive to keep the dog away from this activity was to distract it by taking it for long walks. This was the only method available to the couple to calm the dog.

Taking the dog on long walks several times a day became a regular activity for the couple who were both overweight. The walks certainly calmed the dog down but it also had other results which benefited the couple. Walking the dog regularly helped the couple lose 80 pounds with Anne losing 20 pounds and Vic losing 66. The couple is presently weighing 250 pounds each.

Walking a dog cannot be considered an innocuous activity

Walking Jingle proved beneficial for Anne who was suffering from high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat which has the potential to cause clots, strokes or heart failure.

The impact of the exercise she was getting impressed her doctor and as done away with the problem of being admitted to hospitals for treatment. Her electrocardiograms are showing good results and she has also been recommended by her cardiologist to continue doing what she is to remain healthy.

The Tenaglia couple can be an example for many Americans that are facing an epidemic of obesity and are battling the problem by spending money on weight loss methods of various types.

People that are determined to lose weight without being concerned about heavy expenditure or other difficulties then consider the example of this couple as a natural method of losing weight which will not have any side effects on them.

People do not have to visit the Brandywine Valley SPCA to look for a dog which is anxious. They can rest assured that any dogs they decide to foster will enjoy walking and make it possible for them to shed the unwanted pounds from their body.

They just need to understand they may not be able to devote the kind of time the Tenaglia’s are giving to Jingle because the couple is aged and therefore have more time at their disposal for such activities.

People need to understand that the dog they foster and take along for walks will give them an opportunity to get the exercise they need while also proving that walking a dog is not just an innocuous activity.

Benefits are pouring in for the Tenaglia’s

Presently, the Tenaglia’s are enjoying themselves by chasing their grandchildren. Anne has also involved in two races each for 5 km with Jingle, an activity she never believed she could be involved in earlier.

She has mentioned that the activity was good for her and boosted her confidence. One year after fostering jingle the couple has now decided they want the dog to be a permanent member of the family.

The story of the couple was shared by Anne at the campaign of the Petco Foundation’s Holiday Wishes and the couple has also won a grant of $5000 for the Brandywine Valley SPCA which the shelter can utilize for helping other dogs like Jingle.

The couple is surprised that the dog they fostered transformed their health and also recommends other people to consider walking dogs as a method of becoming more active. People who do not want pets in their homes can volunteer to walk dogs because they will still benefit from the exercise.

They can consider it as a service which will give them a good feeling while at the same time also making the dog happy and providing some benefits to the shelter. However, people who decide to walk dogs will benefit the most because they will be losing weight without having to spend any money.