Category Archives: Lab Lessons

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 42:23 Take Your Time

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Labrador Lesson for 10-21-23:

Take Your Time.

Welcome to the first official Saturday edition of Labrador Lessons. As Labradors, we understand that humans are sometimes in a rush to cram too many activities into a single day…Unfortunately, that rush may prevent you from getting the most out of each activity on your schedule. During the Summer, our humans often rush us through our morning walk to Beat The Heat. Now that cooler temperatures have arrived, we’re reminding them…and you…to take the time to enjoy your movement session. Take a tip from us: make the time to focus on the positive aspects of your movement activity AND your environment.

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, remember to take your time. Move more. Move often. Make time to enjoy your movement and your time outside.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 41:23 Remember to Have Fun

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Labrador Lesson for 10-13-23:

Remember to have fun.

As Labradors, we don’t read the news, but we see just enough television and social media to know that there is no shortage of negativity in the world. Take a tip from us: focus on the positive and remember to have fun. Our fun times include walking with our humans (on leash, for their safety); chewing sticks; and watching deer 🦌 and turkeys 🦃. We also love frolicking in the snow, but even when there’s no snow, we remember to have fun when we get outside.

Whether you have 2 legs or 4, remember to have fun…in your movement practice, and in the rest of your life. Focus on the positive and create fun times whenever possible.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 39:23 Enhance Your Dog’s Quality of Life

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Labrador Lesson for 9/29/23:

Enhance your dog’s quality of life.

We all want our dogs to live long, healthy, happy lives. Here are 3 simple tips for enhancing your dog’s quality of life: 1. Keep your dog at a healthy weight. This calls for a combination of portion control and movement. Consult your vet or a dog trainer if you need guidance in formulating a plan. 2. Keep your dog active, ideally on soft surfaces with a healthy dose of hills to utilize more muscle mass. 3. Be present with your dog, who may not make good/safe decisions when left unsupervised.

Move more. Move often. Move with your dog. Get outside and enjoy hoodie season.

 

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 38:23 Make The Outdoors More Pleasant for All

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Labrador Lesson for 9/24/23:

Make the Outdoors Pleasant for All.

The Labs have 3 recommendations for dog owners to help everyone (with or without a dog) enjoy spending time outside this Fall. 1. Pick up after your dog. No one wants to see 💩 on the trail (or field, or playground…). 2. Obey the leash laws. Keeping your dog on a leash in public places allows others, who may be afraid of dogs, to enjoy being outside. Leashing your dog also helps keep your dog safe. Left to their own devices, dogs may make bad decisions…like running in front of a car, chasing a wild animal, or eating something dangerous. 3. Even if your dog is on-leash and friendly, not everyone wants to meet him/her, so for the comfort of all involved, keep your dog close when you’re around people you don’t know.

Move more. Move often. Move with your dog. Take a tip from the Labs: do your part to make the outdoors pleasant for all. And keep your dogs close to keep them safe.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 37:23 Make Movement a Priority

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Labrador Lesson for 9/16/23:

Make Movement a Priority.

Major life changes, even positive life changes, create stress and disrupt our regularly scheduled activities. The Labs suggest that when life gets busy and/or stressful, you find a way to make time to move…especially if that movement includes walking your dog(s). Regular movement may help manage stress. Movement also provides mental and physical health benefits.

Move more. Move often. Take a tip from the Labs: when life gets busy/stressful, make time to move and play!

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 35:23 Why the Labs Are Excited About Fall

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Labrador Lesson for 9/1/23:

Why the Labs are excited about Fall.

The Labs have noticed that humans sometimes get sad about the end of Summer. So they wanted to share 3 things they are looking forward to once Summer is over. 1. Cooler temperatures make walking in a fur coat much more comfortable. 2. Fall foliage. They love to crunch through fallen leaves 🍁 and munch on the occasional acorn or wild apple 🍏. 3. Once the temperatures get cold and the grasses die down, they can spend more time hiking in the woods with less concern about ticks.

Move more. Move often. Don’t be sad that Summer is ending. Get excited that Fall is coming!

 

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 34:23 Create a Movement Routine for Your 4-Legged Friends

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Labrador Lesson for 8/25/23:

Create a Movement Routine for Your 4-Legged Friends.

Whether you’re a human or a dog, having a movement routine makes it easier to make movement part of your lifestyle. When “Life” disrupts a scheduled movement session, an established routine makes it easier to get back on track. One tip for sticking to your movement routine: keep your movement tools where you are going to use them (shoes by the door; leashes in the Jeep).

Move more. Move often. Create a movement routine to help make movement part of your lifestyle.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 33:23 Leash Your Human

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Labrador Lesson for 8/18/23:

Leash Your Human.

When we take our human staff out for a walk, we keep him on a short leash…for three main reasons. 1. He tends to make bad decisions, and we don’t want him dumpster diving or chasing squirrels 🐿️ . 2. We don’t want him to wander off and get lost…especially because he’s not microchipped. 3. We actually enjoy hanging out with him, and a short leash keeps him close by for frequent petting and water breaks.

Move more. Move often. For the safety of dogs and humans, keep each other on a short leash.

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 32:23 Make Every Day Spoil Your Dog Day

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Labrador Lesson for 8/11/23:

Make every day spoil your dog day.

Yesterday was National Spoil Your Dog Day. The Labs have proposed that EVERY day should be spoil your dog day, and they have 3 tips to help you spoil your dog. Tip 1: Spend time with your dog(s). They like being with you! Tip 2: Move with your dog(s) on most days. This will help your dog (and you) live a long and healthy life. Tip 3: Give them healthy treats. The Labs love blueberries and carrots, but there’s nothing wrong with the occasional pup cup!

Take home message from the Labs to all the dog owners out there: Make every day Spoil Your Dog Day (in a healthy way).

 

FitLabPGH Lab Lessons 31:23 Why We Love Being the FitLabPGH Labs

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Labrador Lesson for 8/4/23:

Why We Love Being the FitLabPGH Labs.

Today’s Labrador Lesson is a combination of Friday Fun and weekly gratitude. Three reasons we’re thankful to be the Labs of FitLabPGH. 1. We get to move most days, and we love to move. 2. When we move, our humans make it all about us (our pace; shade; soft surfaces; water breaks; and leashes to keep us safe). 3. Our humans (a.k.a., The Staff) know we’re more than walking buddies, and we’re not just accoutrements…they treat us as part of the family.

Our take home message to the dogs out there: Move more. Move often. Be thankful for your humans, just as they’re thankful for you.