Why Your Dog Needs To Be Walked

Majority of the dog breeds came into being for a particular purpose, for instance, herding, sporting, working and so on. Therefore, irrespective of whether your dog is a mixed breed or a pure bred; there is a high chance of it carrying genetic traits which stimulate it to pursue some kind of activity.Unfortunately, several dogs today don’t get enough opportunities to undertake activities that their genetic instincts drive them to perform. Also, rarely do pet dogs exercise on their own and most dogs get bored of trying to find stimulation playing or running in a small backyard or other restricted spaces in your home.

All dogs, big or small, require at least one hour of exercise on a daily basis. The requirements may vary depending on the dog breed. Dogs love familiar surroundings. In fact, ‘sniff walks’ allow them to connect with importance scents around the neighborhood.Just like us, dogs also need a bit of socialization every other day. We all look forward to our weekly coffee date with a close friend or group of friends. The same holds true for dogs as well. They also wish to play and have fun with their dog buddies. It is particularly important for pups as they need to learn how to socialize and interact with other dogs in a friendly way.Here is another great reason for walking your dog. It is an opportunity for you to practice disciplinary skills with the animal, while also reinforcing your loving bond with it. As you come across another person or dog in the neighborhood or park, your dog gets a chance to demonstrate its social skills. Animal behaviorists have observed that those dogs that go out for a daily walk are usually better behaved. There are fewer chances of them being aggressive or destructive or have dominance/separation problems.

Yes, there is a proper way of walking your pet, which is beneficial for the mental development of the animal. As the pet owner, you should be walking your dog, rather than the dog walking you. Why? When a dog walks ahead of the owner, it gets the idea that he/she is leading the walk, not the owner. You don’t wish to communicate that to your pet.What should be the duration of the walk? Typically, a 20 minute walk should be enough for most dogs, young and old, when they are physically healthy. For highly

dogs, a longer or more vigorous walk might be needed. In fact, active dogs may even require two walks daily. You could also try short, slow jogs to get your pet moving.