What’s My Motivation?The problem is that dogs sometimes need as much motivation as we do toexercise. I think most of us would agree that it’s more fun to
You’re not failing as a pet owner if you miss a walk — just be sure your dog is getting the attention and exercise he needs on a regular basis.
Sign up and make sure you are always on top of the most important info for you and your pets.
When I suggest rest days to clients (and often a ‘rest week’), I’m met with “but I can’t NOT walk my dog“. This is normally due to the fact that the dog’s only source of interaction, aside from cuddles, during the day is their walk time. I’m not suggesting your dog does nothing for an entire day. Most puppies and adult dogs will need at least some sort of physical or mental stimulation to ensure that we don’t end up with boredom and the problems that can bring. But what we can do is replace their walks in the world with training, sniffing, chewing or indoor playtime. Having a rest day is often beneficial for the human-dog relationship as you tend to focus more on your time together, rather than completing the “chore” of a dog walk.
A rest day is free from any walks – no interaction with the outside world at all. It allows our dogs to relax and have calm experiences for a day. This, in turn, means no further cortisol is being produced, as well as allowing the already existent levels to deplete. Imagine it, if you will, as a stress detox for your dog’s emotional well-being.
But if we don’t want to force our dogs into experiencing negative stress and that excess production of cortisol, we need to understand the importance of rest days.
For most dogs, even the most sociable and laid-back of dogs, going out into the world can be an arousing experience. This can be due to the excitement of playing with other dogs, the overwhelming sniffing opportunities, new experiences, or the physical exercise involved. But for some dogs, this level of arousal can be detrimental. Perhaps your dog has had negative experiences in the past? It might have been attacked by another dog, scared by a loud noise, or previously walked on an aversive piece of equipment such as a choke chain or prong collar. You might have a young puppy who is finding the world a little overwhelming in terms of the new experiences it has to process on a daily basis. All of these situations can mean that your dog is experiencing an unhealthy level of stress when out on walks.
We also know that the enriching sniffing opportunities that dogs experience out on walks can’t be easily replicated in the garden.
A dog walking in the park, running around wagging their tail and playing fetch is one of the most serene and innocent sights a man can behold. Owning such an active pet, however, has certain responsibilities, one of which is a regular walk. The fun little walk with the little pooches helps in bonding and strengthens its relationship with the owner but also has the added benefits of a better and healthier life. Certain studies have shown a daily pet walking habit may also beneficial for the owner, as it a good source of daily exercise which helps reduce hypertension and stress, lower cholesterol and blood sugar and often act as a therapeutic experience .
Just like us, dogs need regular exercising to stay healthy and happy. Walking your dog is a good way of exercise for them. If you do not have a backyard attached to your house then it becomes that much more important to take them out for a walk. Just like us dogs need motivation for exercising and going out with a person they adore is all a dog needs. However, busy you are with your life you should make time for a short stroll with your dog.
Walking your pet keeps them in a sane mind. If a human sits around doing nothing for too long they become depressed and stressed at very trivial things. Similarly, your dog will get irritated and lag around the house without any proper physical exercise. If they go out for even a short time the hormones released from their brains will keep them happy and excited all day long.
In today’s busy schedule, sometime walking a dog might seem like a busy chore, so specialized dog walking services are available that can be availed at any time. Professional dog walkers are paid by the pet owners to walk their pets for them. These pet walking services companies not only maintain their regular exercise but also take care of their proper training. The length of a walk might vary according to breed or owners request. Professional dog running is also growing in popularity these days. .You can track your dog when it is out for a walk according to your convenience. Pet walking helps in maintaining healthy psychological health. To be a professional pet walker, one must have a proper license and experience in basic animal first aid. The breed of dog one owns, as well as its current level of fitness and age, will determine how long and how vigorous your walk should be.
Dogs can get bored very easily by sitting around in the house the whole day. Their boredom doesn’t just result in laziness like us humans but they also get aggressive and irritating, much to our inconvenience. You will find them chewing on random things, digging up holes and putting everything into disarray. Taking your dog out not only keeps them entertained but they can release some energy during this time.
What Happens If You DON’T take your DOG for a WALK? ❌
Owning a dog comes with a lot of responsibility. Dogs are high-maintenance pets who require a lot of time, effort, attention, and patience. They love to be with their humans, whether its while cuddling, playing, being fed, or simply laying there staring at them while being lazy. Dogs cant be left along for really long periods of time; theyre not super self-sufficient, and they basically rely on their owners to live healthy, happy lives. One big part of taking care of a dog is being able to take them on fairly regular walks. Dogs are curious and often energetic, and they love to explore with their owner, even if its the same route every single time. Unfortunately, not everyone has time to do this every single day. A study from 2016 found that almost 50 percent of pet owners werent walking their dogs regularly. So what happens if you dont walk your dog? Does it make you a bad pet owner, or is it actually not that big of a deal?
As annoying as it might be, walking your dog is pretty important, and should something you do all the time — like, daily. Of course, its not always possible to walk your dog for hours at a time every day, and thats OK. But if you cant do it that often, you should be doing it at least a few times a week — and if you cant commit to walking your dog even once a week, then you might want to reconsider getting one as a pet.
We all have days (or weeks) where were overwhelmed and super busy, and it feels nearly impossible to make the time to take the dog out for a leisurely stroll. But if you neglect a walk too often, your dog is the one who is going to suffer the negative effects… and thats probably not what you want. Heres what happens if you dont walk your dog:
Dogs need exercise in order to be healthy and happy — and a walk is a great way for them to get exercise. This is especially true if you dont have a backyard where they can run around whenever they want. Vet Street points out that dogs need to be pushed into exercise sometimes, saying, “The problem is that dogs sometimes need as much motivation as we do to exercise. I think most of us would agree that it’s more fun to go for a walk or work out with a friend instead of by ourselves. Our dogs probably feel the same way.”
If your dog gets a lot of exercise from playing with you in your yard (remember that dogs dont self-entertain, you need to give them something to do) or at a dog park you take them to regularly, thats great! Maybe you dont need to walk them as often. But if they never really get out of your place, you should definitely make time for a stroll.