Dog walking every day keeps the doctor away!
Having a dog to accompany you on your daily exercise is one of the most rewarding elements of being a dog owner and ‘walkies’ are enjoyed just as much by our four legged friends!
But, for some dog owners, the implications of owning a dog and committing to that daily walk for years and years can be overlooked when choosing cute puppies that are small and cuddly. Getting a dog to walk so that the experience is a pleasure can sometimes prove trickier than perhaps first thought.
So, to ensure that your dog has the right approach to walking from being a puppy, we share our top ten tips that we have gleaned over the years to make walks for dogs and humans a positive experience.
Top 10 dog walking tips
- Establish a routine as soon as you can
- Ensure that your dog is always at your side or behind, never in front. This will establish you as the pack leader rather than him
- Use a short lead. This gives you greater control and you can re-enforce verbal commands with commands through his lead
- Make sure you don’t over exercise your puppy. A good rule of thumb is five minutes per month of age until your dog is fully grown. This can be done twice a day for larger dogs or those who need a little more tiring out!
- Remember to never exercise your dog on a full stomach as this can lead to bloat, particularly in larger breeds
- Make it fun for you both! Plan long walks with your dog and include lunch stops or overnight stays at Dogfriendly places – it’s great to explore hidden corners of the UK on foot or paw!
- It’s a great way to get your 30 minutes+ of exercise each day
- Remember that you should be walking your dog not the other way round!
- Above all enjoy the time with your dog and enjoy getting fit, and staying fit, together!
- And, if all else fails there are dog trainers and behaviourists that can work miracles with the most problematic pooches!
Words often quoted to humans is that ‘you can never out train a bad diet’ Simply put this applies to our canine friends too. Please make sure that you feed them well and remember that the team at Happy Dog are here to help with any queries you may have regarding our range of dog food. We have something to suit dogs of all sizes and to suit many dietary requirements.
Hope to speak soon
The Happy Dog Team
