Since I've had a new "day job", my partner has been doing all the dog walking. It's been a challenge for me to get up in the AM and walk a dog before I get ready for work.
Yesterday I decided to change that. I'm now making sure that I get up an hour earlier so I can at least walk ONE of the kids.
So I took Targ for a spin.. a LONG spin. We walked for 45 minutes! Targ reminded me of how important it is to take your dog for a walk. We went to part of the neighborhood that he's never been in before and I cannot describe to you the pure joy on his big jug head face. He was thrilled!
Walking is more than just exercise or an opportunity for your dog to "do their business" or "check their P-mail".
Walking your dog:
- Can help establish your role as pack leader, if done correctly
- Provides your dog with new stimulus, keeping their mind active
- Is a focused exercise and can sometimes be more tiring than a half hour run around the yard, willy nilly.
- A way to let you dog get to know the neighborhood. Accidents do happen and if you dog got out, knowing where they live may mean they have little or no incentive to take off. Or if, they do take off, they know how to get home.
- Is FUN!
Hey again! I’ve been doing the extra long walk since the ice melted off the sidewalks and I’ve been happy about Rockwell’s progress since I started. But yesterday we passed by the first sandwich sign out in front of a store and he didn’t know what to make of it. It was pretty funny. I should have blogged about it but I forgot until now.
It also lets all the neighborhood kitties know just what kind of woofies they’re dealing with! 🙂 Have I ever mentioned how flattered I am to be on the top of your link list??? Purrs….
Well stated. I’ve always enjoyed walking two or three dogs together more than just one.