Saturday, October 31, 2009

Exercising With a Puppy

I stopped going to the gym when I went home at the end of August (long story) so now all my exercise is done at home. I still do Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred series, and while I often yell at her during the routine, I now have someone else to yell at too.

Owen.

Seems jumping around is puppy code for LET'S PLAY! LET'S PLAY! BITE ME! LET'S PLAY! It only took one well-timed jumping jack with him between my feet to stop him from getting too close during cardio, but it seems nothing will keep him away when I'm doing sit-ups.

He starts innocently enough. First he meanders over (or pounces, depending on how sleepy he is) then plops onto my belly. This is the preferred position. I can still do sit-ups with him lying on me, and he doesn't weigh much so it doesn't slow me down.

But the belly sitting doesn't last long. After maybe five seconds he scoots forward until we're nose to nose and he snuffles my face. Doesn't matter which part -- whatever's closest works. I, in turn, laugh (read: giggle) which is puppy code for STRANGE NOISE! COMING FROM MAMA! LICK! BITE! SNUFFLE!

At this point I push him off me -- still trying to do my sit-ups (I'm following along with a video here) and he burrows his nose in -- you guessed it -- my armpit. Aside from the gross-factor, it also tickles, which causes more giggles and usually an unintentional elbow to his head. I push him away again and he moves around to...

*cue harps and angels singing*

MY PONYTAIL!

Game over. Have you ever tried doing a sit-up with an animal clinging to your head? It's really not as effective as you might think. Fortunately at this point the video has moved on to the next round of cardio, at which point Owen backs off and regroups until it's time for sit-ups again.

The last time I worked out I finally put him on his leash and tied him to a chair just out of reach, so instead of him attacking me, he talked to me the entire time. At least he was encouraging during the sit-ups. :P

Who me?


Here he is acting all innocent while visiting friends earlier this week.

11 comments:

Melissa nance said...

Dogs are good for that. My cat looks at me like I'm insane (smart cat) and meanders off to the window sill.

Jenna said...

You're lucky actually...you can tie him up. I can't do that with my boys and they do the same stuff to me as soon as I get on the floor to workout :).

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Melissa, I WISH he'd just watch me. He's stayed in his bed once so far, and I thought I was in the clear. Nope.

Jenna, that image makes me LAUGH! I can see how they would make it difficult!

Janna Leadbetter said...

^ I've had the same thing happen with my girls. Hard!

But I see that picture of him in the hammock (so cute), and can't help but think all's forgiven.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Janna, he's too easily forgiven. I try to remember not to make eye contact if we're punishing him, but he's so dang cute!

JLC said...

LOL - As Jenna and Janna said, kids do the same thing. Doing sit-ups with a 30lb child on your stomach is a bit difficult. I have to squeeze in workout time when Sesame Street is on.

You may need to crate him while you work out.

Adam said...

Imagine him 4 times the size, and you've got what we have to put up with. :-)

Ollie lurves investigating!

Adam, who's lazy, so rarely has to put up with it.

Nadine said...

On one hand it's really cute that he wants to play, but that's gotta be so tough while trying to do situps! Especially with how fast that video moves!

That hammock picture is adorable!

Robin said...

I lock the dogs out of the room when I do sit-ups. They do the belly/snuffle thing, too! I wish they'd learn how to teach pilates classes. Now, that would be useful.

Spy Scribbler said...

He got the hammock! That's so cute! My cats love my yoga mat, so while I'm doing a standing pose, two will settle themselves on the mat. Or while I'm doing downward dog, one will settle right under my belly, which is a problem when the next move is upward dog.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Nadine, I end up doing extra sit-ups at the end to make up for what I didn't do during the video.

Robin, I'm loving the word snuffle more and more. I think I'll make a habit of tying him to a chair from now on.

Natasha, he lays on the mat beneath me too. Makes push-ups interesting.