• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Dog's Best Life

Dog's Best Life

The information you need to keep your dog happy, healthy, playful and loyal.

  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Dogs get more than just exercise from walking

Posted August 9, 2016

By Karen Soukiasian

Think of your leash as a telephone line to your dog. When you are walking your dog properly, you should both be relaxed. Your hands should be at waist level. Your dog should be at your left side...not in front of you...not behind you. Ideally, the leash should be relaxed enough so there is a U in the leash, between you and your dog.

We can all use a little more exercise. If your pet has been cooped up all day in the house or a crate, going for a walk with you is the next best thing to a T-bone!

Being creatures of habit, it’s up to us to change the pace now and then. Vary the route. These subtle changes make the journey with you more interesting. It demonstrates and reinforces you are in charge of the experience. Walking your puppy or dog at least twice a day is probably the greatest way to establish a special connection with them. This is quality time. It’s time to spend focused on them. It’s something you may dread, but they certainly look forward to it.


Walking also provides an outlet for them to hone their socializing skills. Meeting new people and new dogs in a well-mannered way is all part socialization. Being pack animals, most dogs love to socialize!

What many fail to do to expand the experience is to talk to their dog during their walks. Dogs learn by association. When walking your dog, let them know how pleased you are when they are walking calmly by your side. That way, should they begin to stray off into their own world, you can gently make a correction they can relate too. This helps to establish or maintain your status as the leader.

Now we get to the hardly know advantage. As most dog owners know, dogs are territorial. It is to their advantage to know their territory.

By walking them regularly, yet varying the routes, we are aiding them program their internal Global Positioning System (GPS). The daily walks become fact-finding missions. By giving them the opportunities to mark their territory, gather and identify recognizable scents and familiarize themselves to landmarks, we are helping them how to find their way home, should they ever stroll off!

Another invaluable aid to consider, especially if you and/or your dog are new to an area, is to have them microchipped. It is inexpensive and virtually painless.

Most shelters and veterinarians are equipped to scan your dog for a chip. Give yourself peace of mind. With a microchip, you could be only a phone call away.

Bottom line: Most often it is a puppy or dog that is unfamiliar with an area either because they are never walked, or have just moved there, that wander off to explore.

Next thing you know, they get lost and cannot find their way home. To save yourself a lot of stress and possibly heartbreak, do yourself and your dog an enormous favor; give them the advantage. Walk them!

It’s great exercise for both of you. It’s valuable bonding and training time. More importantly, should they roam off, it provides your dog the advantage of how to navigate their way back home.

Follow Karen A. Soukiasian on Facebook

Related Posts

  • dog walking info
    7 tips to make the most of daily dog walks

    Try to take daily dog walks. Pick a place that's…

  • best dog mom
    Take your dog for a walk and create a lifelong bond

    Lifelong bond: Use daily walks to build a lifelong bond…

  • Getting your puppy accustomed to walking properly on a leash will spare you a lot anxiety, and make walking your dog a pleasure.
    Teach your puppy to walk on a leash

    Keep puppy walks short and fun. Be patient. Take the…

  • Pet-care business. Consider starting a business walking multiple dogs
    Tips for walking multiple dogs

    Before walking multiple dogs, begin by training each dog to…

Share this post:

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Email Share on Reddit

Filed Under: Dog Health, Dog Training, Home Page Tagged With: Canine fitness, Dog walks

« Previous Post
Next Post »

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

Categories

  • Adoption
  • Dog Breeds
  • Dog Facts
  • Dog Fun
  • Dog Grooming
  • Dog Health
  • Dog Inspirations
  • Dog Training
  • Dog Travel
  • Holidays
  • Home Page
  • Puppies
  • Top Stories

Featured Posts

  • Tricolor Australian shepherd in front of white background. Take steps to stop dog pawing.

    Canine body language: What’s your dog saying with his paws?

  • The most common warning signs to watch for in your puppy's behaviors include snarling, growling, mounting, snapping, nipping, lip curling, lunging, dominance, challenging stance, dead-eye stare, aggressive barking, possessiveness, and of course, biting!

    Take action immediately when you spot aggressive puppy warning signs

  • Cute corgi puppy wrapped in a blanket. Talk with your vet about starting your dog on medication to protect him from parasites including flea and tick prevention, as well as heartworm prevention.

    Puppy training 101: 10 tips to prepare your dog for success

Tags

Boston Terrier Maltese Paw Outdoor activities Dog business Easter Pit bull Dog sounds Big dogs New Year Cats Babies Guard dog Canine fitness Biting Dog toys Dog health benefits Dog grief Dog Medical Emergency Thanksgiving Fleas Ticks Dog temperament Chasing Independent dog breeds Dog training tips Two dogs Dog food Old dogs Environment

Footer

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Recent Posts

  • 5 reasons why maintaining your pet’s dental health is important
    Poor dental health can lead to tooth loss, heart disease, and other health problems. Provide proper dental care for your dog. […]
  • 7 famous dogs that shaped the course of history
    Read more to find out how seven famous dogs helped shape human history. Famous dogs include Peritas, Soter, Old Drum, and Pavlov's dog. […]
  • Discover 10 interesting facts about dog behavior
    Here are ten facts about dog behavior that may help you understand your pet more and wonder less about sometimes slightly peculiar habits. […]
  • 5 common dachshund health problems and how to treat them
    Dachshund health problems include hip and elbow dysplasia, invertebrate disc disease, obesity, allergies and asthma. […]

Get Our Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.

© Copyright 2022 Dog's Best Life online magazine · All Rights Reserved · Privacy
Get Our Free Monthly Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.