This English cocker demonstrates the animated performance of a dog that is in good condition. You owe it to your dog and to yourself to be equally fit.

A health issue appeared on my personal radar recently and provided a much needed wake-up call to get something done about my weight. Between March 10 and Memorial Day I lost 25 pounds. I plan to lose an additional 25 to 30 pounds by September 1, which will put me at my lightest in several years, and likely my most fit during the same time period.

Already I feel the difference, and I now have a positive mind-set regarding my weight and its health implications. It isn't as if I did not know what was needed previously, but I did not want to act on what I knew. That has changed.

The American Heart Association ranks heart disease the number one killer in America, with stroke ranking number three. Being overweight is a primary risk factor in heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to additional heart problems (see sidebar).

Warning Signs of Stroke If you or someone else has one or more of these signs, don't delay. Call 911 immediately. Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination. Sudden, severe headache with no known cause. Immediately call 911 or the emergency medical services (EMS) so an ambulance with advanced life support can be sent for you. Also, check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared. It's very important to take immediate action. If given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke. tPA is the only FDA-approved medication for the treatment of stroke within three hours of stroke symptom onset. If you are at risk for a heart attack or stroke talk to your doctor about taking an aspirin each day, and about taking an aspirin if you experience the symptoms of heart attack or stroke.

Another problem linked to being overweight is diabetes, and it can be serious. Death can occur, but individuals may also suffer blindness or lose a foot or leg because of diabetes.

To be honest, I am more than a little bit concerned about those last two diabetes-related possibilities. While it's easy for me to say because I am not looking death in the face, I might prefer death to blindness or losing a limb. Okay, maybe I have a bad attitude. But I believe many of you understand my feelings.

So…want to lose some weight? You know what to do, so do it -- namely, start paying attention to your diet and reducing those calories.

Want to lose weight and gain some muscle while losing fat? Exercise!

And who better to exercise with than pup? Right, there is no one better! Take pup for a half-hour walk each morning and evening. It will provide you both with exercise and provide you both with an improved attitude toward life, and each other.

The best hunting, hunt test and field trial dogs I have ever seen are dogs that have bonded well with their owner/handler. Nothing forms, and then maintains, that bond like spending time together, especially exercising and working together.