DO DOGS ACTUALLY NEED TO BE TAKEN FOR WALKS?

Out for a Walk In Nature

Yes, it’s just like for humans- a dog’s overall well being includes needing to be out and about on walks; preferably in a natural surrounding; even a neighborhood park.

If you are a pet parent/guardian and you think that just putting them out in the yard or on a patio is enough, think again.

You need to take your dog for walks for many of the same reasons you need to take your self for more walks including: exercise, mental stimulation, air circulation, sunshine, and more opportunities for safe socialization.

Here’s why regular walks are essential for dogs:

* Physical Health

Daily walks are essential for maintaining a healthy body weight and helping to prevent becoming obese; which we all know is unhealthy for all living sentient creatures.

* Joints and Muscle Health:Regular physical activity like daily walks helps to maintain both joint health and healthy oxygenated muscles, bones and blood; reducing the risk of mobility and other health problems. 

* Cardiovascular Health: Walks will obviously improve cardiovascular health and be beneficial to your dog’s overall well-being. 

* Mental Health and Well-being:

* Stimulation and Socialization: Walks in a safe environment like a friendly, neighborhood park can help to provide mental stimulation allowing your dog to walk with you exploring and experiencing the sights, sounds, and smells while helping to prevent boredom and frustration.  All creatures love learning new things in a safe environment. Nothing is better to a dog than knowing he/she can be out and about with you going places and doing things both familiar and new.  They just LOVE being with us and sharing in life’s experiences.  Observing what/who we react to and why helps us both to know and understand one another better. Remember, dogs ‘read’ energy and ‘tune into’ not just the environment we are in, but to how we humans act or re-act to it. * I’ve always said that “Energy travels up and down the leash.”

Walking Your Dog In A Safe Environment

* Stress Relief: Exercise helps release stress and anxiety, promoting a calmer and happier dog and most usually a healthier, happier human pet parent as well.

*If you are going to skip walks with your dog, you do need to remember that ‘rain or shine, snow or wind’, it is necessary for you to dress appropriately and if need be to get them dressed for the weather as well, and this should be a ‘given’ but you’d be surprised, maybe even shocked about how often we get asked the questions about ‘how often’ to take the dogs out to go to the bathroom, so- take them out to do their bathroom business as often as you would need to do yours. First thing when you get up in the morning you have to relieve your bladder.  So do they.  After you wake up from a nap or something ‘startling’ you have to go to the bathroom. So do they.  After you eat and or drink alot you have to go.  So do they.  You have to go again right before you go to bed for the nite. So do they.  This is all ‘common sense’.   Yes,You can skip the adventure and exploration walks on those days of inclement weather if you wish and instead learn how to play ‘indoor’ games such as hide and seek, find me, games with a lighted /squeaky ball, and perhaps some fun, interactive puzzle games together.    If you both love to get out and about no matter what the weather, great, there’s that option too.  Please DO Consider your dog’s feelings and thoughts about this as well as your own.  Sometimes dogs are only doing things because they ‘read’ that it pleases us, and they are not into it at all, and sometimes it’s the other way around.  Learn to read one another and live lovingly and respectfully together. Have fun. Learn what it’s like to be a dog. Be a good pet parent or guardian.