How To Walk A Dog

Nothing beats getting out and walking with your favourite furry friend. Whether you have a pooch of your own or you borrow one, there are a few things you should take into account before you head out for your walkies. Take a look below to learn more.

A Pack Leader Always Leads

Did you know your actions and mood can influence your furry friend? You might unknowingly encourage unwanted or unruly behaviour by making them feel they’re the leader of the pack.

It’s quite important that you always lead. Walk out of the door first - and let the dog follow you through the door. If it goes the other way around, your dog will deem themselves the pack leader and they can decide where to go and what to do. This simple yet important act of yours will make a difference in your walking experience. Try and be consistent.

In addition, leading doesn’t mean you use force or don’t allow them to do some sniffing around. But always maintain a firm hold on the lead but don’t keep it too tight (there should be slack in the lead). In a nutshell, be a good leader and let your pooch follow you and walk with confidence.

Timing Is the Key

Going for a walk with your pup is essential for their health and well-being. Dog walking is more than physical exercise. If your dog doesn’t get a good walk regularly, they can suffer emotionally and you may see them expressing this by acting out at home.

Depending on the breed you may have to plan at least 45 - 60 minutes for your walk. The more active the dog the longer the walk needs to be, so you will need to adjust timing accordingly.

Even if you know you can walk your dog in just 15 minutes, you should plan for more time because your dog might not just want to walk and return home. When you allow them to sniff around, he might want to go chase squirrels, play fetch, or want to just stay there for a while. All in all, you should plan for some more time for your dog every day and if need a helping hand you can always take a look at the borrowers in your local area.

Collect Your Poop Yourself

A dog’s poop contains harmful microorganisms like salmonella, E-Coli, giardia, hookworms and many more. These harmful germs and bacteria make their way to underground water and other hosts (you and your dogs) in parks and other places where people gather if not picked up. Always keep a bag and a scoop to collect it.

Tasty Treats As Rewards

Reward your canine pal with dog treats on your walk. Your dog will be following your lead and when you give him some relaxed time to sniff around a bit and explore, you can reward them for their good behavior and discipline. Treats are important when you are training your dog to walk and it helps to reinforce good behavior.

Hydration

You should always keep water for you and your dog while going on a walk. You can tell when you need water, but it can be quite tough to say for a dog. Always keep fresh water with you and offer them a drink, particularly on a hot day or on a very long walk. In addition, you should not let your dogs drink from puddles and streams as they can contain bacteria not safe for your pup.

Check the pavement

When the temperature rises it can get quite hot for your dogs to walk on the surfaces. The heat can easily burn their paws.

A simple way to check is to touch the pavement with your palm or bare feet for at least five seconds and if it’s quite uncomfortable, it’s a no to go on a walk. Instead, choose a time when the sun is not too hot. Or you can keep walking to just grassy and dirt areas where the surface temperature is low.

By taking these tips into account we’re sure you’ll have a pawsome dog walk! Many thanks to Clara, a co-founder and the marketing head at petlovesbest.com for contributing to this post. She happens to be an active animal activist in her town who has done a few notable works for the welfare of animals, especially the pets.