Every first week of October is National Walk Your Dog Week. Walking your dog is more than just letting them outside to use the bathroom. It’s also crucial for mental stimulation, physical exercise, chances to socialize with other dogs and opportunities for behavior training. Read on to find out the importance of walking your dog.
Exercise and Mental Stimulation
Walking your dog regularly helps with their physical and mental health. When a dog stays in a house for too long, they’ll get bored. Furthermore, this boredom leads to destructive and negative behaviors. Your dog depends on you to take them out to explore the world. It’s important that they’re exposed to new sights, smells and sounds. It’s also a good idea to vary the places you take them so they’re constantly discovering new things.
Overall Physical Health
A dog lacking in exercise can quickly become overweight. Being overweight can bring about a lot of additional health problems. There are a lot of benefits to making sure your dog gets enough exercise every day including more positive behavior. Walking your dog is a great way to make sure they get the exercise they need.
Increased Socialization
Chances are you and your dog will run into other dogs on your walks. This is a great way to improve your dog’s socialization skills. Walking your dog exposes them to different animals, people and environments and the more comfortable they are, the more confident they’ll be.
Training Opportunities
Walking your dog is a great training opportunity. For one thing, it helps them get comfortable walking with a leash. You can also teach them basic commands like “sit” and “stay” to make the walks go smoother. Bring treats along to reward them for following your commands.
More than anything, walking your dog helps foster the bond between you and your pet. If you have a demanding job or you’re out of the house a lot, consider taking your dog to a doggy daycare or hiring a dog walker or somebody you trust to walk your dog if you can’t. Your dog will enjoy their time outside and you’ll see all the benefits associated with walking your dog. For more information on keeping your dog happy and healthy, visit Regal Animal Hospital in Lake Worth, Florida!