Walking your dog is an essential activity for maintaining the physical and mental health of your pet. Discover 5 tips that will help you enjoy a fun walk with your pet, safely and peacefully. Follow along! 

Why walk with your dog?

Walking your dog daily ensures a range of health benefits and the overall well-being of the animal. For instance, a stroll in the nearby park or garden contributes to physical activities, preventing canine obesity, overweight, and other complications.

Having an active pet is also great for slowing down the symptoms of aging and diseases in bones and joints. Another example of the benefits of walking with your dog is stimulating socialisation, and helping them learn to interact with other dogs and humans.

5 Tips for walking your dog safely

1. Adapt your dog to wearing a leash

The first tip to ensure a safe walk with your dog is to use a leash or harness. Before heading out, it's important to make your dog comfortable with the accessory.

The best way to do this is to encourage the use of the leash indoors. Put the accessory on your pet and play with them until they feel comfortable and accustomed to the leash.

After this phase, it's time to take the next step. Choose safe locations such as gardens and common areas in your building for a short walk.

This way, you can understand how the animal behaves with the presence of new elements in its routine, such as people, pets, or items in the environment.

  2. Always offer a treat

The first outings from home can be confusing for dogs since there are many stimuli they don't know how to handle. People, pets, cars, trees, and other elements can grab the dog's attention and put them at risk. To regain the animal's attention, a good idea is to use treats.

For this, call the animal by its name or a safety word. Then, pet and offer their favourite treats. This helps the owner keep the animal calm and secure, which is essential for the continuation of the walk or the return home. Always use positive reinforcement when training the dog. Never use punishments or negative comments. Finally, be patient and consistent when training the animal.

  3. How long to walk the dog?

The duration of walks with dogs can vary according to the needs of the animal or the owner's availability. According to veterinarians, setting aside time during the day to walk the dog is ideal. Take advantage of the early morning and late afternoon for a little stroll with your pet, as these are times of milder weather. This way, you avoid them suffering from heat or burning their paws on the ground.

An important tip is: take your time! Dogs are curious animals that love to smell and investigate every different corner. Therefore, it is ideal to reserve about 1 hour for each walk.

Finally, it is crucial to create a routine of walks, always on the same days and times. This facilitates the pet's adaptation and makes them more relaxed to play and have fun outside.

  4. Always be in control of the actions

Some dog breeds tend to be more active and, when in contact with the street, may try to take charge of the walk. To prevent accidents, it is recommended that the owner always be in control of the actions.

This way, you prevent them from getting hurt or experiencing any accidents. Using restraints, toys, and treats helps control the movements of pets. Give the animal time to adjust to the new commands and behaviors. Reward them immediately for good behaviour. Finally, be patient and consistent when training the animal.

  5. Seek help from a specialist

Due to busy schedules, many owners may not have enough time to walk their dogs. In these cases, an alternative is to seek the help of a specialist, also known as a dog walker.

A dog walker is a trained and qualified professional for walking dogs. They should be able to provide the dog with the exercise and socialization it needs. It is important to make sure that the dog walker is reliable and experienced.

Now that you know the importance of walking with your dog and how to do it safely, tell us: where is your pet's favorite place to walk? At Dogs Welcome Here we have plenty of suggestions for you to take your buddy on your next walk.