Exercise is good for humans and dogs – so when you take a walk with your four-legged friend, you are doing something special for both of you. If you and your dog enjoy going for regular walks, you will both benefit from it long after you get home. Taking your dog for a walk can be a pleasurable pursuit, as long as the dog is well trained and socialized.
Taking your dog for a walk can be a pleasurable pursuit, as long as the dog is well trained and socialized. Here is why you should start taking walks with your dog if you’re not already doing so.
Walking has physical benefits for both of you. It gets you moving, increases the heartbeat if you walk at a decent pace and can help with the prevention of chronic diseases in both of you. A sedentary person and a dog that never gets to stretch its legs have a much bigger chance of being overweight and prone to illnesses.
Walking can help with weight control and is of special benefit to female dogs that have been spayed. Even females from big breeds like Rottweilers that get regular exercise after they’ve been spayed, wouldn’t easily gain weight.
It’s good for the joints, for both humans and dogs. Because walking helps to keep a dog’s weight down; it prevents the onset of illnesses like hip dyslexia. However, once a dog has been diagnosed with arthritis, walks must be curtailed and monitored.
Exercise gets you and your dog out into fresh air. You’re particularly fortunate if you have a nice park or beach where you can walk. Long weekend walks in nature is a wonderful way to relax after the week’s work.
Walking also has mental benefits. Dogs simply love walks – they probably get bored being at home the whole day – and walking stimulates them. At the same time, there’s evidence that walking improves a person’s mood and can help with the prevention of memory decline in older
people.
Walking helps to lower stress (unless you have a leash pulling, barking dog…) and helps you and the dog to relax.
It helps you to connect with other people and dogs in your community. Dog owners belong to a special club; they share a unique affinity for their pets and understand the issues a dog owner
sometimes has to deal with. That’s why it’s so important that your dog is well behaved in public.
Walking together helps to strengthen the bond between owner and dog. Spending time together encourages understanding and communication between the two.
Walking is an opportunity to keep the dog’s training and obedience up to scratch and improve it where necessary.
Final thought: If you take the time and make the effort to train your dog to walk on a leash from a young age – and socialize it at the same time – you can confidently take it for regular walks the rest of its life, and enjoy the many benefits it brings.