Exercise is essential for pets. They need to play and run and burn off energy just like kids! If we don’t have a fenced back yard where we can play fetch and run with our dogs, we need to exercise them by walking with them – everyday. Playing with pets, and going along when we walk the dog, helps keep children active and exercising themselves. It stimulates their interest in nature when they see how interested their dog is about sniffing every tree and looking under every leaf. It helps them learn about the environment if we are along to talk about it. Having a pet helps the whole family get more exercise!

picture from Ehow.com