Why is Walking My Dog So Important
From a puppy, your dog is learning all the time. It figures out when and where to eat and drink, pee, poo and to the best areas to explore - a bit like us humans then!
A walk opens up a world of new smells for a dog and it is one of the most important activities for both dog and owner. Aside from the obvious benefits of exercise, it presents the basic foundation for your dog's physical and mental health.
There is no doubt that dogs showing excessive sedentary behaviour will not get the stimulation of exercise on a mental and physical level. Many dogs can become overweight in a short space of time and this is certainly not a good thing for your dog's health.
If a dog remains inside it can get bored and frustrated. It will quite possibly show erratic behaviour, which could have a knock-on effect to other people and animals in the household - it really is a good idea to get out with your dog as much as necessary.
When dogs go out, they will also have an opportunity to pick up on so many smells and scents - all of which are teaching them some very important things. Just think for a moment about how dogs greet each other! A human nose is quite sensitive, but a dog's nose can be detect scents between 10,000 and 10,000 times more effectively. This includes many pheromones and chemical smells that humans just can't smell - just think for a moment of how different your dog's world is to yours.
For this reason, it is a good idea to mix up your walking routes a bit. A few new routes will offer new smells and will stimulate your dog in new ways. As many of you have experienced, your dog can become tired at the end of a walk where they have been allowed to sniff and examine things - this is really down to stimulating those senses and the energy it takes to process the smells and scents. Always allow your dog to sniff things properly as some smells will not be familiar to it and these might take a little bit more time to process.
Of course, another great reason to take your dog out on walks is that it gets to socialise. As we eluded to in the last paragraph your dog can become tired if they are properly stimulated and socialisation can help to curb anxiety. When they socialise, their confidence will grow in different situations and they will become a more well-rounded and more relaxed canine.
And don't get too worried about lawn mowers and other loud noises. Your dog needs to learn about the world and noises are part of it. The extreme to this is fireworks and very loud bangs like bird scarers. These are slightly different, in the fact that you should not react them in a negative way. Your dog can sometimes look to its owners for reassurance when something scary happens, so whenever possible don't react to the point where you also show some anxiety - just dust it off and move on!
When you are out with your dog, use that time to do some training. Why not get your dog to work closely by your side or to walk nicely on the lead without pulling. Remember, one of the reasons why your dogs pulls is because it usually gets them to a place where they can sniff something they like and that can often be classed as a rewarding conclusion for them. Just break the cycle and make sure that you stimulate them by getting them to sit close to kerbs and to watch you - getting them to respond to you will help you to bond and will make life easier later.
Remember, certain breeds of dog may require more walking and more exercise. If you have a back garden or safe area where you can let the dog off, then do so. However, dogs are not always great at entertaining themselves, especially when they are the only dog, so try to bring some playful activities into the mix.
If you are work all day and your dog is not getting out and about as much as it should, why not try a dog walker or a doggy daycare service. We hope this short article has been useful and we wish you a long and very happy relationship with your furry friend.
A walk opens up a world of new smells for a dog and it is one of the most important activities for both dog and owner. Aside from the obvious benefits of exercise, it presents the basic foundation for your dog's physical and mental health.
There is no doubt that dogs showing excessive sedentary behaviour will not get the stimulation of exercise on a mental and physical level. Many dogs can become overweight in a short space of time and this is certainly not a good thing for your dog's health.
If a dog remains inside it can get bored and frustrated. It will quite possibly show erratic behaviour, which could have a knock-on effect to other people and animals in the household - it really is a good idea to get out with your dog as much as necessary.
When dogs go out, they will also have an opportunity to pick up on so many smells and scents - all of which are teaching them some very important things. Just think for a moment about how dogs greet each other! A human nose is quite sensitive, but a dog's nose can be detect scents between 10,000 and 10,000 times more effectively. This includes many pheromones and chemical smells that humans just can't smell - just think for a moment of how different your dog's world is to yours.
For this reason, it is a good idea to mix up your walking routes a bit. A few new routes will offer new smells and will stimulate your dog in new ways. As many of you have experienced, your dog can become tired at the end of a walk where they have been allowed to sniff and examine things - this is really down to stimulating those senses and the energy it takes to process the smells and scents. Always allow your dog to sniff things properly as some smells will not be familiar to it and these might take a little bit more time to process.
Of course, another great reason to take your dog out on walks is that it gets to socialise. As we eluded to in the last paragraph your dog can become tired if they are properly stimulated and socialisation can help to curb anxiety. When they socialise, their confidence will grow in different situations and they will become a more well-rounded and more relaxed canine.
And don't get too worried about lawn mowers and other loud noises. Your dog needs to learn about the world and noises are part of it. The extreme to this is fireworks and very loud bangs like bird scarers. These are slightly different, in the fact that you should not react them in a negative way. Your dog can sometimes look to its owners for reassurance when something scary happens, so whenever possible don't react to the point where you also show some anxiety - just dust it off and move on!
When you are out with your dog, use that time to do some training. Why not get your dog to work closely by your side or to walk nicely on the lead without pulling. Remember, one of the reasons why your dogs pulls is because it usually gets them to a place where they can sniff something they like and that can often be classed as a rewarding conclusion for them. Just break the cycle and make sure that you stimulate them by getting them to sit close to kerbs and to watch you - getting them to respond to you will help you to bond and will make life easier later.
Remember, certain breeds of dog may require more walking and more exercise. If you have a back garden or safe area where you can let the dog off, then do so. However, dogs are not always great at entertaining themselves, especially when they are the only dog, so try to bring some playful activities into the mix.
If you are work all day and your dog is not getting out and about as much as it should, why not try a dog walker or a doggy daycare service. We hope this short article has been useful and we wish you a long and very happy relationship with your furry friend.
