You walk your dog for his or her health and happiness. Dogs love getting out in the fresh air as much as we do, and sniffing satisfies their curiosity. So why not give the pups at the pound the opportunity to cut loose once in a while?

Even if your local shelter only has a small fenced-in area, the resident dogs will love a chance to get out of their pens, if only for five or ten minutes. Think about how stir-crazy you would get if you had to sit in a cage all day.

Volunteering as a dog walker at your local animal shelter is good for you, too. In addition to the actual walking, you'll get quite a workout from trying to restrain big, eager dogs as you take them from their pens. Visitors are likely to be around, and it can take some serious strength to keep some dogs under control as you leash them and let them out.

Not only will you get some exercise, but seeing a dog's tail wag as she soaks up the sun will make your day too. Many animal shelters are especially short on help as city and county governments look for places to slash spending. You may be just what some lonely dog needs to brighten his day.