In olden time dogs were bred to perform specific jobs but now thery are just house hold pets and because they aren't required to do these jobs now, they need an outlet for their energy to relief from boredom and time to display particular characteristics of their breed. Therefore walking is as essential to a dog's life as food and shelter.
A walk is a show of positive reinforcement from you and gives your dog mental stimulation and exercise. Walking your dog regularly also helps alleviate inappropriate behaviours such as barking, chewing or digging.Make sure your dog is trained for basic obedience commands such as 'Heel,' so that you can keep him under control at all times.
Here are some tips / guidelines for walking your dog -
- Resist the urge to let your dog run wild and free on public property'keep him safe by putting him on a leash.
- Take your dog on a 1-hour walk or two 30-minute walks each day, even if you're home for part of the day and spend lots of time with him.
- Adjust the walking distance and pace to the age and health of your dog. Reduce the time and distance of the walk in extremely hot or cold weather, especially if your dog is old or in poor health.
- Avoid turning the walk into an obedience training session. It's essential for your dog to have fun.
- Allow your dog time to stop and smell the ground. Vary your walks to allow your dog to explore new terrain.
- Let your dog greet people and other dogs appropriately while on the walk. This will help develop him social skills.
- Carry a pooper-scooper to clean up after your dog as you go.
Posts
