2 . Exercise and I have never had a good relationship because of my fear of sports.   From a young age, my dad __________ me into a dozen sports. I didn’t like any of them, __________.

When I entered University of Regina, my dad __________ telling me “You have to find a way to stay __________ ”or “You don’t want to get the Freshman 15, do you?” So I __________ to give swimming a shot, but I __________ managed to go to the pool twice during the fall semester (学期). Worse still, I was __________ to convince myself that “Yeah, that’s OK. ”

The spring semester came.   A friend of mine __________ me one day asking if I wanted to go to Zumba with her. All I knew about Zumba was that it was basically exercise dancing to Latin and pop songs. It didn’t sound too bad, but I couldn’t be __________ .

I went, and that was it. Zumba became my __________ of tea. The instructor would always say: “Don’t worry about the steps. Have fun. Do your own thing.” That removed my __________ about sports. I didn’t have to be __________. I didn’t even have to be good. I just needed to __________ the music and move. Zumba did __________ me from the Freshman 15, but it also did so much more. It let me make __________ with my unpleasant past with physical fitness, and enjoy staying healthy.

3 . What Your Dog Is Really Thinking

Reading a pup’s body language requires experience and expert guidance. Zazie Todd, a dog trainer and founder of the blog Companion Animal Psychology, considers how to figure out the dogs’ behaviour.

If your dog licks their mouth

They’re stressed. Recently, two European studies have highlighted the meaning of this licking. One found that it was a dogs’ response to seeing an angry or aggressive human face on a computer screen.     1     . If you spot this sign, try reducing your dog’s stress levels. It could be as simple as giving them more physical space.

If there are fireworks and your dog is shaking

The noises are frightening.     2     . But a surprising number of people don’t realize that shaking and trembling (and hiding or seeking out people) are signs of fear. Whereas only a quarter of owners say their dog is afraid of loud noises, half report these behavioural signs.

    3    

They’re anxious. Obvious signs of an unhappy dog include hiding or trying to leave the exam room, but commonly missed signs range from a tucked tail and lowered ears to trembling. If your dog gets stressed at appointments, ask what can be done. Many vets now use food to make the experience more fun.

If your dog leans into you during a petting session.

    4     . If you’re unsure that a dog is enjoying being petted, stop, then watch their reaction. If they choose to wander of, the session is over. Other signs of discomfort include smelling the floor, looking away and breathing heavily. However, if they lean on you or scratch at you to get more hugs, continue!     5     .