Featured Interview: Healthy Living With Your Dog (and Why “Wellness Is Social”)
A little while back, I had the chance to sit down with Sociology Group to talk about Healthy Living With Your Dog, my background in physical therapy + military service, and why I’m so passionate about helping people stay active without getting hurt in the process.
If you’d like the full Q&A, you can read the original feature on Sociology Group here.. But below, I wanted to share a recap of the biggest takeaways.
Why this whole “Move Better Together” thing exists
In clinic, I kept seeing the same pattern: people getting injured doing very normal dog-owner things—slipping on walks, getting yanked by the leash, tweaking a knee playing fetch, shoulder pain from throwing, back pain from bending and lifting, and the classic “I suddenly got a high-energy dog and tried to become an athlete overnight.”
That’s where the book idea came from. I wanted something practical and friendly that helps people start before the injury, not after.
“Wellness is social” (and your dog proves it every day)
One of the core ideas I shared in the interview is simple: we do better when we do life with others—and yes, your dog absolutely counts.
Here’s the line I keep coming back to:
“Wellness is social means we thrive when we do life with others.”
Dogs make movement easier because they create built-in routine (they don’t forget “walk time”), and they also pull us into tiny moments of connection—neighbors, trails, parks, quick smiles and hellos.
Small “micro-moments” beat big heroic plans
Most people don’t fail because they aren’t motivated. They fail because their plan requires too much time, too much energy, and too much perfect scheduling.
That’s why I’m a huge fan of small rituals—the kind you can do even on your busiest day. The momentum adds up fast.
A simple starting point I recommend:
- 10-minute sunrise or sunset walk
- quick joint warmup + short leash walk
- a few toss-and-retrieve reps (with good mechanics)
If you do that consistently, you’re building a real foundation.
Joy works better than guilt
A lot of wellness content sounds like discipline-first, joy-later.
I think it’s the opposite.
“Joy is a better motivator than discipline.”
If your movement plan is miserable, it won’t last. But if it feels like connection, play, stress relief, and fresh air with your best buddy? That’s sustainable.
Movement isn’t just fitness. It’s freedom.
This is the part that hits home for me across PT, sports, and military service:
“Movement is freedom.”
When you can move well, you can do more of what you love—walks, hikes, playing on the floor with your kids, traveling, working, living. And doing it with your dog just makes the whole thing more meaningful.
The biggest message I hope you take away
If you’re trying to get healthier, here’s the truth:
“You don’t need perfection, you just need partnership.”
Start small. Keep it simple. Protect your body. Let your dog be the consistency engine. And build from there.
Want the full guide?
If you’re a dog owner who wants to stay active without getting sidelined by common aches and injuries, my book Healthy Living With Your Dog goes deeper with simple, realistic guidance you can actually use—walking, play, strength basics, and “how to do this safely” so you can keep moving for the long haul.
Grab the book here
Want the original feature?
This post is a recap of my interview originally published by Sociology Group (December 5, 2025).
