Welcome to Tail Blazers Talks. Today we will be talking about the importance of walking your pet. Many people do not walk their pets every day. I used to be one of them…I thought to myself, “I have a big enough backyard and my dog plays with toys all day so she doesn’t need to be walked too.” I know that I was not alone in thinking that. Walking your dog is not just about exercise for them and you, it’s about working on mental wellness, socialization, training, and the connection that you and your pet can build together through this activity. Let’s explore all of the benefits.
Emotional Wellness
You might notice that your pet lays around all day and they don’t act like they need a walk to get their energy out. Pets that aren’t walked regularly may get used to this type of lifestyle but it doesn’t mean it’s not affecting them. Like humans, pets need to be nurtured by nature, and without contact with the outdoors and being able to explore and breathe fresh air, pets can develop anxiety and depression. Walking your pet daily can decrease their boredom and irritability, as well as increases endorphins in your own body, therefore boosting your mental health as well. Even 30 minutes a day can make a huge difference in the health of both you and your pet.
Physical Wellness
We all know that walking is an extremely important component of physical health for ourselves, and it is for our pets as well. Walking can help you lose weight, loosen tight muscles, build endurance, and strengthen bones. This is true for humans and pets! If you have an elder dog, take them for a walk to help loosen their tight hips and joints. If you or your pet needs to lose a few pounds – go for a walk. Again, even 30 minutes a day can mean the world for overall health and can decrease the risk of you and your pet from developing serious issues like diabetes and heart conditions.
Environmental Familiarity & Socialization
Not only is walking extremely important for the health of your pets, but it increases their environmental familiarity. If you are walking from your home and around the vicinity, your pet has a higher likelihood of finding their way home if they ever get lost in that area. It also can increase their friendliness with people and pets that you are engaging with along the way, increasing their social skills, and making them an overall better pet.
Training
Walking is a great time to work on training. If you are new to walking, trying to introduce training right away might be a bit too much for your pet, so take it slow and work on one thing at a time. Familiarizing your pets regularly with crosswalks and high-traffic areas such as schools and parking lots can be a great training tool for a high-strung dog to learn about its surroundings and work on keeping them calm. Start with something simple like getting your dog to sit when you are waiting for the crosswalk light to turn, or getting your cat to give you their attention. Remember if you are just starting, that good things don’t happen overnight. It can take a while to get your pet to where you want them to be on walks, but consistency is key, so make sure you follow through and good things will therefore follow. 
Your Relationship
While walking with your pet, they have a chance to get to know you outside of the home, and you get to know them better. Maybe your pet will surprise you with a new silly side of their personality or have an opportunity to show you that they can walk well on the leash. You have a chance to bond with them in a different way than just cuddling on the couch and giving them treats. It’s an opportunity to see each other in a different light and that can be great for a growing relationship. It can strengthen the bond that you share and can even build more trust in your relationship.
Things to Avoid…
Like everything in life, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. So try to remember a few of these:
- Too much walking for puppies can be very harmful to their growth and development. Try to limit their walks to ONLY 30 minutes a day and keep it as just a walk – Please do not encourage your puppy to run regularly!
- Too much heat can be extremely dangerous for any age, size, and breed of animal, especially the elderly, young, and bradycardic breeds. Heat stroke is dangerous and can cause death, so if it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for them. Skip the walk and take them on a nice air-conditioned car ride instead. Not to mention that walking dogs barefoot on hot pavement can be painful for them!
- Too many treats! Try your best not to over-treat your pet on their walks, especially if they are walking for weight loss. Opt for a very low-calorie treat and something enticing that will grab their attention. Too much liver (a very popular training treat) can cause diarrhea.
- Too cold! Like heat, dogs can suffer from being too cold as well. Mostly their paw pads can take a beating in severely cold weather and in overly salted areas. If you don’t have boots, or paw balm to coat their pads, skip the walk as it may end up causing more stress for your pet.
- Too much freedom. Remember that not all trails are meant for dogs to be off-leash and that not all pets are friendly. If your dog is not 100% recall trained then you should keep them on leash.
Personal Experience
When I first started walking my dog daily, I felt as if I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. She was my first dog and she was terrible on a leash, and I was starting to ask myself why I thought I needed a dog. But the more I took her out, the more we were able to work on strengthening our relationship. It was give and take. She started to get so much better on leash, but was a maniac when we were crossing the street. I took the good with the bad and worked on one thing at a time, and learned through trial and error that she walks like an angel if she can walk with something in her mouth, whether it be the leash, a ball, or a stick. We got to the point where I trusted her enough to bring her on an off-leash hike and she did amazing and trusted me enough to come back to me every time I called. We got happier, healthier, and stronger together. If we ever took a break from our walks it took a toll on us as well. We were less motivated, and she was a bit more destructive in the house. But we always got back to it, and on days I didn’t feel like walking she gave me a nudge and on days she didn’t feel like walking, (which was not often) I gave her one. I got healthier and she grew up healthy. We got to the point where I couldn’t imagine my life without her and that was almost 10 years ago now. We still try to get out for a walk every day. She is a bit slower now, and she seems to get over fetch much quicker than when she was an eager 1-year-old, but it’s still a learning and growing experience for us. She has learned from me and I have learned from her. She will teach my son how a dog should walk on a leash and he will grow up teaching his dogs in her example. To think I was thinking of giving up on her makes me feel sad sometimes, but it all worked out for the best for both of us! To put it simply, walk your dog, or your cat. It can make such a huge difference in both of your lives.
We hope you enjoyed this blog and we hope that we helped motivate you to start a new adventure with your pet. Walking can be such a freeing experience and really can help to generate a great long-lasting relationship between you and your pet. It can also benefit the health of both you and your pet positively! What are you waiting for? Grab your walking equipment and get out there, a lifetime of memories is waiting for you!
By Alana Bianchin, Tail Blazers
