Exercise is a crucial component of a dog’s care. It is as important as feeding the dog or giving it medical care. A dog who is not given daily exercise will have energy that is not given any outlet. Also, just like humans, a dog needs to exercise to maintain the health of its body and mind.
To get the proper benefits of going for a walk, a dog’s owner needs to keep a few things in mind:
The owner must walk the dog, not let the dog walk them. If they allow the dog to walk in front of them, they are reinforcing that the dog is the leader over them. The leader always goes first. When a dog walks in front, it does not release its mental energy. It feels that it has responsibility as the leader. This means that the exercise will not fulfill its function.
If a dog is hyper even though it gets daily walks, then it is time to consider whether or not the dog is leading the walks. If it is, then it will not release its energy. Another possibility, however, is that the dog is a high-energy dog that needs more exercise than the average dog. Adding more exercise will resolve this problem.
The dog will consider the owner to be the leader if the owner walks in front of the dog and determines when it is time to walk and when it is time to take a break. Dominance is an intuitive thing, so the owner should simply trust their own intuition. The trick is to keep the dog moving and correct any signs of aggression that the dog displays.
All dogs need their daily exercise. It is an important ritual to keep the dog mentally stable. Even if the owner has a big backyard, it is important to exercise the dog outside of the property.
When getting a dog ready for their walk, the owner should call the dog to come to them instead of going over to the dog. The dog should be made to sit calmly before snapping on the lead or slipping on the collar. Retractable leashes are not good, as the handler has less control over the dog. The collar should be far up on the dog’s neck. This will give the handler more control.
The lead should be short and hang loose. The dog should not relieve himself in the place that he chooses. The owner should determine the appropriate place for this and lead the dog into it. What is important is to not let the dog relieve himself as a way of marking territory.
If the owner passes a barking dog or another distraction, they should keep the dog moving forward. If the dog turns aside to display aggression or address the distraction, the owner should give a little tug to get the dog’s attention focused back on the walk. If the tug doesn’t work, then the owner can gently use their foot to touch him enough to avert attention back to the walk. The owner needs to quickly react because the dog will get too involved in the distraction to hear its owner if it is allowed to focus on the distraction.
The owner should walk at a good pace. They should keep their shoulders back and their head held up high. Dogs can tell when their owners have tension or lack confidence. As said before, the owner should trust their instincts with respect to showing confidence and dominance.
Using a dog backpack is a good idea. It makes the walk more meaningful by giving the dog a job to do. The owner can put some water bottles in the pack to add weight. Not only will the dog get a better workout, but also he will slow down. This will make it easier to walk him.
If the owner is going to be leaving the house for the day, the dog should be walked before leaving. This will make sure that the dog is in a resting mode during the time that the owner is gone. Dogs should also be walked before eating. This will help fulfill the dog’s instinct to work for food.
For days when the weather is not good for a walk. the dog can be trained to walk on a treadmill. It is important that the dog not take any days off from its exercise.
Dogs that are given daily exercise are less likely to become destructive, obsessive, have dominancy issues, or get other behavior issues. The owner should decide on how many walks to give the dog per day, based on the energy level of the dog.
One question that arises is whether a dog can be walked off-leash yet still view the owner as pack leader. The answer is that this still can be accomplished by retaining control of all of the dog’s movements on the walk.
For the busy dog owner in Lakewood and Golden, how can they ensure that their dog or dogs get adequate exercise while they are gone at work? Fortunately, dog daycare is available where the complete needs of dogs are taken care of. Dog owners in Lakewood and Golden will not only get the basic needs of their dogs taken care of, but also their dogs will be able to express all of their natural instincts. Proper care at a dog daycare center is an all-day affair.
A kennel is also available for when dogs’ owners must leave town. A professional kennel takes care of all of a dog’s needs 24 hours a day. Dog boarding doesn’t have to be looked at as a last resort because the care that they receive there is even more complete than the care that they receive at home. Dog boarding doesn’t have to make their owners feel guilty because they are in the hands of loving, professional caretakers.
