Does your dog regularly come to you holding the leash in their mouth? Does he/she get very excited when they hear the word “walk”? Don’t worry, he’s not alone.
Dogs love going for walks… and they are not shy about letting you know! Not only does your dog enjoy getting exercise, but it is also essential for him/her. Taking your dog out every day is important so that they can stretch their legs and maintain physical well being, as well as not get bored!
HOW OFTEN?
There is no established rule for the number of daily walks. In general, take your dog out in the morning and evening and maybe even around noon, when possible. This is a very good routine for a healthy adult dog, but if your pet is older or sick, you need to adjust this routine according to his/her limitations. This also applies to puppies: take it slowly because their joints are still growing!
An easy rule to remember: a puppy’s walk time (in minutes) is equal to his/her age in weeks. So a 10-week-old puppy should walk for 10 minutes.
COLLAR OR HARNESS
More and more owners are choosing a harness over a collar for daily walks. You should know that there are 2 types of harnesses: the ones that attach around the head (halter) and the ones that attach around the chest. A halter allows you to control the dog’s head, without putting any pressure on the throat (which a collar can do). A chest harness is more beneficial for small dogs and dogs with cervical pain.
DOES YOUR DOG PULL TOO MUCH ON THE LEASH
Dogs love pulling, spontaneously! Obviously, it’s because they absolutely want to go somewhere, even if the destination itself is often not important. Leash walking without pulling is something your dog needs to be properly trained to do and it may take some time to learn.
