Walk a hound, lose a pound: Walking a furry friend for fun and fitness

Supporters of Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound said the event does good at both ends of the leash.

Members of the community have the opportunity to come to the Osage Centre each Saturday in October and walk up to one mile with a four-legged furry friend -- not just hounds, but likely some terriers, retrievers and others as well -- from the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri. According to Jane Wernsman, director of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, the exercise is important for both the dogs and the walkers.

Wernsman said a recent community health assessment completed by the center found that obesity and inactivity levels in Cape Girardeau County were slightly higher than the average rate. Health assessments conducted by SoutheastHEALTH and Saint Francis Medical Center came to similar conclusions, she said. Obesity can lead to serious health issues, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Taylor Klump has her blood pressure checked during Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound on Oct. 12 at the Osage Centre. (Adam Vogler)

To encourage more physical activity, Wernsman said the health center wanted to be creative and offer unique exercise programs.

"We're trying to do something about the problems as we identify them," she said. "This is an easy and inexpensive way to reduce inactivity and maybe start up a new healthy habit for some people."

The idea for Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound came from Dr. Rebecca Johnson, director for the Research Center for Human Animal Interaction at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. Wernsman said they reached out to Johnson for permission to use the program in Cape Girardeau.

She said Johnson's research showed that interaction with a dog can change a person's body chemistry and enhance their well-being. When the program began in Columbia, there was a slight bump in animal adoption rates. Wernsman said there's a chance the program could do the same for Cape Girardeau shelter animals.

"Who knows? You might come out to walk Fluffy, then just fall in love with him," she said. "It's a win-win."

The Humane Society screens the dogs that it transports every weekend to the Osage Centre to make sure they're "people friendly." For those who wish to support or participate in the program but are unable to adopt a dog, Wernsman said the animals still benefit from the opportunity to spend extra time outside their kennels.

She added that the program was a great opportunity for animal lovers living on campus at Southeast Missouri State University or in apartments that do not allow pets to have a chance to play and interact with the dogs.

Duncan Ross, left, and Taylor Klump register for Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound Oct. 12 at the Osage Centre. (Adam Vogler)

Wernsman said she doesn't anticipate any major weight loss or health changes to occur from participating in the program, but she said the goal isn't about immediate changes: it's about lifestyle changes.

Losing a few pounds would be great, she said, "but more importantly, people might do this then want to continue walking and lead a more active lifestyle."

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department, which helped organize the event, is available at the session to offer information on its exercise programs. The health center provides baseline screenings for blood pressure, height, weight and body mass index, in addition to medical information provided by Saint Francis Medical Center. Southeast Health provides each participant with a pedometer to track steps walked. Leashes and dog treats also will be provided.

Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound is a free event from 9 to 11 a.m. each Saturday this month at the Osage Centre. Walkers may register for the event by calling the health center at 335-7846. Walk-ups are accepted as well. Those under 18 must attend with a parent.