A dog is an ideal workout partner: always supportive, happy to go for a walk, and never judgmental. When people and dogs exercise together, fitness and health happen on both ends of the leash. As the obesity epidemic spreads, 70 percent of Americans and 50 percent of dogs are overweight or obese, resulting in staggering health care costs and suffering. The causes, consequences, and treatment for the overweight and obese are strikingly similar in people and dogs. Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound, written by an expert veterinary surgeon and leading nurse researcher, helps you move from a food-centered relationship with dogs to an exercise-centered relationship. This volume is designed for dog lovers, dog owners, and families. Based on the latest scientific findings, it will also help professionals (including physicians, veterinarians, and physical therapists) fight obesity and promote fitness in both people and pets. Never has there been a more compelling time for innovative approaches to increasing physical activity, reforming sedentary lifestyles, and enhancing fitness. Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound provides specific strategies for people and dogs to exercise together, lose weight together, and have fun in the process.