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Image 1 of 1
Well Being
By Robin Roberts
Animal Magnetism
Why our four-legged friends make the best workout partners
Dogs truly deserve their "best friend" status. They think anything you say is pure genius. They don't care if you're having a bad hair day, and they're up for a walk any time. That's what makes them the ideal exercise buddies: how can you languish on the couch when Fido's gazing at you with those puppy-dog eyes, holding his leash between his teeth? Tell him to take a hike and he'll do it. just go along with him, and not only will your fitness level increase, your stress level will decrease.
When Vancouver actress Gabrielle Miller isn't playing Lacey on CTV"s Corner Gas, she's playing with Duncan, her six-year-old Yorkie. They roam together on the grounds of the University of British Columbia, or when in Los Angeles, at Runyon Canyon and Jericho Beach. "He loves that because it's great for him to be able to run free," she tells Hello! from Roleaua, Sask., the town thats stands in for Dog River on the show.
This year, when he comes for his summer vacation on the prairie, Duncan will find a new friend waiting for him: the actress has just acquired a beagle puppy called Beatrice. "I spend a lot of my day chasing Bea, " says Miller, who reveals it was co-star Brent Butt who came up with the pup's name. "She has so much energy; I'd forgotten how much work a puppy is. And she's so funny. She does this thing when I'm walking her, where she'll roll on her back on the grass while I pull her. Now I know this is really bad and any trainer will say you can't do that. But she's hilarious! She just loves being dragged on her back."
As for the more dignified Duncan, Miller has no doubt the two will get along fine - as long as Bea knows who's boss. "Duncan's a tough little guy who runs the house. But he's very calming. If you sit and watch TV or read, he'll come and sit beside you or on your lap. The sound of his feet on the hardwood floor makes me so happy; it's just the best sound in the world."