How Often Do I Need To Walk My Dog

Do you walk your dog once a day, twice a day, or sometimes more? How often do you need to walk your dog?

A dog needs to be walked regularly, both for exercise and for potty breaks. Walking your dog is also important for both its physical and mental health. There is no concrete answer to how often a dog needs to be walked, but there are some general guidelines you can follow.

Some dogs only need to be walked once a day, while others will need four or more daily walks. Before my own dog became pretty much immobile from hip dysplasia and arthritis, he needed to go on four or five daily walks, although I always suspected he didn’t really need that many walks but just wanted to get out and scope the neighborhood as often as he could.

The average dog needs at least two short walks every day. Fifteen minutes or less is usually enough for most dogs, especially small ones, so they can take care of their physical needs while getting in a little exercise for good health.

Some of the factors that determine how often you need to walk your dog include the following:
(1) If you work long hours, you may only be able to take your dog out once in the morning before work, and again when you come home;
(2) The size of the dog; smaller dogs need fewer and shorter walks;
(3) The breed of the dog, because some dogs have small bladders;
(4) The energy level of your dog. A dog with a high energy level needs longer or more frequent walks to expend excess energy;
(5) The type of food you feed your pet. Feeding a dog solid foods like kibble doesn’t require potty breaks as often as does a dog who eats a diet of mainly soft foods.

Regardless of the type of food, a dog will need short walks to urinate and exercise.

If your dog comes down with diarrhea, you’ll obviously need more frequent walks to prevent accidents from happening. If your dog becomes ill and is not able to go outside, you’ll have to avoid walks until your dog feels better.

One of the real, measurable benefits to walking your dog is that it provides the dog with exercise, which is necessary to prevent obesity and muscle atrophy, and it gives you the opportunity to exercise by walking which will help increase both your stamina and health.

One additional benefit to walking your dog is that you’ll meet lots of new people who want to pet your dog and possibly strike up a conversation with you. You might be amazed if you knew how many people ended up eventually marrying after first having had a friendly conversation about their pet dogs.

Married couples can also look forward to meeting friendly neighbors with whom they may eventually become close friends with. But single women should beware of the single guy who adopts a pet dog for the sole purpose of meeting attractive, single women on his daily dog walks.

 

How Much Exercise Does Your Dog Need?

How much exercise does your dog need in order to stay healthy and avoid dog pain? Humans need to exercise regularly and so do dogs. Exercise is just one of your dog’s basic needs.

Most dogs need one to two hours of exercise every day to help keep them healthy. Depending on your dog’s age and breed, it may need more or less exercise than that. If your dog is a senior, it may be content to lounge around on your floor or sofa all day long, and if you own an active, younger dog, you may find yourself going for walks 3 or 4 hours a day and your dog will still want more exercise.

Even within the same breed and age group, no two dogs are the same, so determining how much exercise your dog needs could take some trial and error. Start by giving your dog as much exercise as it wants without overdoing it. You may have to work up your own stamina to keep up with your dog if you’re not used to walking or jogging.

Beautiful weather should be inviting for both you and your dog to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. But if it’s a very hot and humid day, avoid strenuous outdoor activities and be sure your dog has fresh, cool water at all times.

While walking , running, or playing, watch closely for signs of exhaustion in your dog such as heavy panting, wheezing, or any lameness in the legs – especially the rear legs if your dog has arthritis or hip dysplasia. Hopefully, if this is the case, you already have your dog on a regimen of Winston’s Joint System if it suffers from a debilitating joint disease like arthritis, hip dysplasia or OCD.

Exercising your dog offers many opportunities for training it to obey your commands. You can use the exercise time to teach your dog obedience and how to react when meeting other humans and animals.

Exercising your dog can entail many different activities including walking, running or hiking. Not only will your dog be getting its exercise but you’ll be getting a good workout at the same time. I have many friends who say they’ve managed to lose stubborn weight after adopting their dog and starting on a regular walking and running routine. If you have a large yard or access to a nearby dog park, you can play fetch with a ball or Frisbee which will give both of you a good workout.

Just how much exercise does your dog need? Start slow and work into a good routine that both you and your dog can handle and will be satisfied with. If you live in an area where it frequently rains in the summer, you may need to devise some indoor games on those days to give your dog some exercise. After a few months of regular activities, both you and your dog should be in better condition than you were before you began your exercise routine.

Walking Your Dog: Best Way To Stay Healthy

One of the best ways to stay healthy and avoid dog pain is by regularly walking your dog. This simple form of exercise results in better health for both you and your pet.

For some people “A walk in the park” means a task is simple and easy to handle – no sweat off their back. For others the same phrase literally means taking a walk in the park with your dog.

Dogs are great walking companions and great personal trainers. If you begin walking with your dog, you may soon find that you are no longer in charge of your walking schedule. Most dogs are ready to walk when you are (unlike friends and family), and will let you know when it’s time to lace up your sneakers.

A well-trained dog is a true pleasure to walk with. It”s important that your dog is trained to sit and heel on command so you don’t find yourself suddenly yanked into speeding traffic if your dog spots a cat that it can’t resist chasing.

Your dog should always be on a leash when you take it out for a walk. If your dog likes to pull you, try fitting it with a pinch collar to increase your control. Some people like to use a harness, while others prefer retractable leashes to give the dog a little more slack and be able to reel them in as needed.

If you plan on taking your dog walking in a park, call and check if there are any restrictions on animals in the park. Dogs are sometimes allowed on trails, but seldom in park visitor centers.

Always carry a Pooper Scooper and extra bags with you when you’re walking your dog. If you don’t have a Pooper Scooper use a plastic bag. Many dog walkers will take along plastic bags from their grocery shopping. When the bag is placed over the hand, you can pick up your dog’s doo-doo, turn the bag inside out, and tie the end closed. Please be sure to dispose of it properly.

You should always carry water with you for both you and your pet when you go walking. When your dog gets thirsty you can pour the water into your hand and let your dog drink. Some people take along collapsible cups or inflatable water dishes. I like to take along a Zip-Lock bag full of ice cubes. My dog loves to chew on the cubes and it helps cool him down. When the cubes have melted I can fold back the top of the bag and he can drink the melted ice.

If taking a long walk, halfway through your trip find a comfortable, shady spot and take a short rest. Play with your dog, and give both of you a little time to cool down. Dogs can’t sweat like we humans do. They keep cool by panting, lying in the shade, wading in water, and drinking lots of water. If you do go walking near water, find a safe place and let your dog go swimming. And if you drove to the place where you went walking, don’t leave your dog in your car alone if it’s hot out and you have to make stops on the way home.

If your dog suffers from arthritis or hip dysplasia like mine, consider buying one of the Easy Lift dog harnesses to help support your dog’s rear legs when it can’t make it back to the car or house without assistance. Easy Lift is the perfect solution to easily give your dog a helping hand while walking or climbing.

Be sure your dog is wearing current identification. Name tags, dog licenses, and collars can come loose and be lost. Consider having your dog’s ID tattooed on his body (usually under the flap of an ear on dogs with floppy ears). Another excellent form of identification in case your dog is ever lost or stolen, is an embedded micro-chip.

If you want to stay healthy and keep your pet healthy too, walking your dog is a habit you should incorporate into your daily routine.

Treat your dog well and it will be the best trainer and companion you could have on those long walks that are guaranteed to keep you in shape (and lose a few pounds too if that’s your goal).

Exercise and Your Dog

To stay healthy and fit and prevent dog pain, your pet needs regular exercise. Exercise is one of your dog’s basic needs and is as important to its health as proper nutrition.

It may surprise you to know that most breeds of dogs require from one to two hours of daily exercise to stay healthy. Your dog may need more or less, depending on its age and breed. An older Yorkie, for example, may just want to loaf on your sofa, while a young adult Border Collie might require four hours of exercise every day and still want more.

How much exercise will my dog really need?

How much exercise is enough depends on your dog’s age, breed, and its health. A 10-month old Irish Terrier puppy is going to need more than a five-year old Whippet. Some hound breeds need short bursts of exercise, while guard dogs don’t need as much overall exercise as sporting breeds who like to hunt all day. Even within a breed, the need varies by animal. An energetic eight-year-old Golden Retriever could easily need more exercise than a calm three-year old Golden. Older dogs still need to go for walks too – they just need shorter walks than they were used to when they were younger.

The costs of not giving your dog enough exercise range from overweight and obesity, to the risk of diabetes, respiratory disease, and heart disease. Obesity is more than a health problem; it can stress a dog’s joints, ligaments, and tendons. Older dogs often have a hard enough time getting up without the added problem of lifting excess pounds. Lack of exercise substantially increases orthopedic problems such as hip dysplasia and arthritis.

If your senior dog suffers from hip dysplasia, arthritis, or other degenerative joint diseases, the best product you can buy to help him is Winston’s Joint System. Winston’s is an all-natural formula developed by a Naturopathic Doctor to heal his own beloved dog who suffered from debilitating joint problems. For more than 20 years, Winston’s proven formula has been giving relief from pain and stiffness to all breeds and ages of dogs.

When considering exercise for your dog, don’t fool yourself that a leisurely walk around the block is enough. Most dogs need 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day. Here are some general rules of thumb:

* Active breeds need a minimum of 30 minutes of hard aerobic exercise daily;
* Not all small breeds get enough exercise inside the house and need outside exercise too;
* It’s not safe to take your dog out in extremely hot or cold weather. Exercise indoors on these days.

No two dogs are the same, so determining your dog’s exercise needs takes some trial and error. When you are unsure, start by giving your dog as much exercise as it wants, being careful not to overdo it. Watch closely for signs of exhaustion such as heavy panting, wheezing, lameness in the legs, and frequent slowing or stopping to lie down during the exercise period. Avoid outdoor exercise on very hot days, and be sure to provide fresh, cool water at all times.

How can you determine what kind of exercise is best for your dog?

There are many activities you can do with your dog while exercising your own body at the same time. Walking, running or hiking with your dog is great exercise for both of you and frees your mind to focus on the beauty that surrounds you.

Some activities provide more exercise for your dog than for you, but are still a fun way to bond with your pet. Playing fetch with a ball or frisbee is loads of fun for many dogs.

If you’re lucky enough to live within driving distance of a dog park, your dog will find companionship among other visitors to the park, and you have the added benefit of engaging in conversation with other dog owners and sharing important information about your pets. Dog parks are popular places for off-leash exercise and romping with other dogs, which is exactly what most dogs need. However, not all dogs get along with others. If your dog doesn’t like other dogs, a dog park is definitely not the place to go for exercise.

As humans, we usually think of exercise only as a health issue, but it has important day-to-day effects on a dog’s behavior as well. Dogs, especially puppies and young dogs, have a lot of energy, and if they don’t have an opportunity to burn off that energy, the result will often be destructive behavior. If your dog is digging holes in your yard or you’re having to replace pillows or clothing your dog has shredded, it’s a pretty clear sign that your dog is probably not getting enough exercise.

These behavior issues often cause many people to rid themselves of their dogs, even though the bad behavior is preventable. We have all seen newspaper ads and signs tacked to telephone posts with the message “Free dog to a good home”. These are usually placed by people whose dogs need the exercise they’re not getting. Unfortunately, some people don’t consider exercise when selecting a breed of dog as a pet, and end up choosing a dog that needs more exercise than the new owner has time to provide.

Before choosing a pet dog for yourself or your family, read as much as you can about the breed or breeds you are considering and how much and how often they need to be exercised to maintain optimum health.