Is it even a gym if it doesn't have a "Gym Dog"!

I've always loved dogs, more than cats - I'm not a cat person, it's not that I dislike cats I just prefer dogs.

However I wouldn't really have thought I would be attached to a dog as much - yes I did have a family dog when I was a kid called Penny, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, but I don't really ever remember being "really" attached to it.

However I believe that has firmly changed - i'm 100% attached to a dog, a dog called Reggie! Even as I write this I've to deal with Reggie slumping over me - I literally got as far as the title and then up he popped and draped himself over me, he's annoyingly cute that way.

Reggie is a Bedlington Whippet, a lurcher, a cross breed, the scruffiest dog, the oldest looking dog (he's only just turned 2) - but what a dog he is. I hear people buying pups for the same price as cars and I'm blown away people spend that much money buying a dog.

Reggie - literally a couple of hundred pounds and there you go, dog owner.

I guess when you look at social media now Fitness and Dogs just go together - nearly every gym you see has a "gym dog". I've a few friends who are mad into Crossfit and would historically have wound them up on every occasion that they didn't train in a real CF gym because they had no dog (CF gyms did used to post a lot about their gym dogs - and I didn't really get it), I have since eaten my words and it's them now wind me up, they won't let me forget it!

There is no doubt a dog adds to the atmosphere in the gym, who doesn't love a wagging tail and welcome every single time, or even to come over in between sets for a cuddle.

Dogs greet everyone that walk through the door, no matter if you're happy, sad, emotional, if the weather is awful outside they always treat you the same way, tail wagging and happy to see you - they go out of their way to come and see you (we all know many humans do not do this).

They literally do become the mascot of them, long gone are the days I "may" have rolled my eyes at another "gym dog picture" - I'm happy to post up pictures of Reggie and he has 100% become the gym mascot of The Hurt Locker.

I can't picture not having Reggie around now, he's just an amazing dog and he does love everyone (almost)!

I'm well aware that many people aren't dog lovers either, but thats just weird .... right !!

Ian