5 Benefits of Regular Dog Walks
Thinking that a large backyard is enough stimulation for your pooch is a common mistake, and is no substitute for regular walks. Here’s 5 benefits to your dog being walked every day.
1. Relieves your dog’s stress and anxiety
Keeping your dog exercised will reduce problem behaviours such as boredom barking, digging, chewing and escaping. Dogs need to burn off all of their energy otherwise it may be channelled into nuisance behaviours such as destructive chewing, excessive barking, fence jumping or digging.
Daily walks provide physical exercise and mental stimulation for your dog, which will leave them less anxious, feeling more content, relaxed and happy to sleep for several hours while their humans go about their day.
2. Prevents obesity, joint problems, and other diseases
A national survey by the RSPCA has found 33.5% of dogs are overweight, and of that, 8% are obese. Dogs being overweight can put a strain on their joints, causing them to require surgery for genetic conditions, such as hip dysplasia, sooner. – Which gets expensive for Pet Owners. Having your dog walked daily will ensure they maintain a healthy weight for their frame and breed.
Daily walks prevent obesity related medical conditions like osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and insulin resistance. Walks also promote cardiovascular fitness, lower blood pressure and strong muscles.
Neighbours love quiet, well-behaved dogs too.
Daily Exercise supports respiratory health and improves the movement of waste materials through the digestive tract of your pet and helps support their digestion and bowel health.
3. Provides your dog with mental stimulation
Dogs need outdoor walks every single day to help stimulate their endorphins (happy glands) and release of serotonin into their brain.
Dogs sniffing while on walks is also key to their happiness and mental stimulation for dogs and serves very important functions. A dog sniffing while on walks is like a human seeing… it’s just how they learn and observe the world. One stop on a walk can tell a dog who peed there and how long ago, whether humans were there, or if a possum stopped there for a minute.
Dogs noses are 100,000 times more sensitive than ours and work differently to human noses. They can sniff out a teaspoon of sugar in an Olympic sized swimming pool area. This is why it’s good to vary the places where your dog is taken as much as possible.
4. Gives your pup much-needed socialisation
The RSPCA advises that Puppies have what is called a ‘critical socialisation period‘ between approximately 3 -17 weeks of age where exposing them to environmental triggers during this phase can help them grow into Adult dogs that are less reactive to common environmental triggers.
The RSPCA advises regular walks are imperative for benefits beyond the physical. “Socialising with friendly dogs and humans is also an important factor of keeping your dog healthy,” RSPCA says. If your dog is well socialised and leash trained you may wish to consider group dogs walks to provide further opportunity for socialisation and interaction with other dogs and people.
5. Provides an opportunity to reinforce training.
During dog walks there are many new noises and smells which can be distracting. This is why Dog Walks are a good opportunity to reinforce a dog’s focus and ensure they don’t get rusty on basic commands such as “sit”, “stay”, “leave it”, and “come”.
Regardless of the breed, size or age of your dog they require exercise at least once a day, for working or high energy breeds, such as Airedale Terriers, Border Collies, German Shepherds, Kelpies, Huskies or Labradors, require up to two hours of physical activity every day.
Booking a professional dog walker for daily walks, Monday to Friday is an excellent way to provide stimulation.
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