He's overweight, Michaels admits. I guess I was thinking, if I can't eat it, I'm going to spoil him. Years of lounging on the couch -- while Michaels herself hit the gym -- plumped the little dog and dropped his energy level close to zero.

Michaels decided to trim her pal down by incorporating him into her regular fitness outings. And they're both benefiting -- a recent study found that dog owners not only log more hours of exercise than their dog-less neighbors, but they're more inclined to stick with a fitness regimen for the long haul.

Pick up this month's issue of Dog Fancy for the full story.