The Benefits of Walking Your Dog 🐾

When you say, “It’s time to walk the dog,” many people assume that your pup needs to go do his “business.” Yes, walking the dog is essential to keeping the household carpet unblemished, but taking a stroll with your pooch provides many other benefits as well.

How does walking keep my dog healthy?

1. Weight and Body Condition: Obesity is a major health issue, but barring medical complications, it has a reasonable solution: burn more calories than consumed. Regular exercise, like walking, is a good way to burn those excess calories and keep the pounds off – for both you and your dog.
2. Joint Health: Immobility is another common health problem. Joints, even old ones, need to work. People and pets get stiff when sedentary for too long, and keeping joints in motion improves their function. Not to mention, mobility also helps keep muscles active, preventing them from weakening.
3. Digestive and Urinary Health: Regular walking helps regulate the digestive tract. Some dogs, like some people, prefer to “go” on a schedule, and providing your dog with routine trips outdoors prevents constipation. Also, when urine sits in the bladder for long periods of time, bladder infections are more likely to occur, so regular emptying keeps this part of the anatomy happy as well.

Beyond Physical Health

1. Mental Health: Dogs do not like to be bored, and if you give them something constructive to do, like taking a walk, they may be less likely to do something destructive, like chewing the couch. Walking exercises the mind as well as the body. Watching wildlife, exploring new paths, seeing other people with their pets, and so on, are great mental stimulation for your dog that he just cannot get in the same fenced area all the time. Walking also releases excess energy and helps dogs sleep better at night.
2. Emotional Health: You are the center of your dog’s universe, and he craves your attention. What better way to spend quality time with your dog than taking a walk? Spending one-on-one time with your dog will deepen your bond and help deter annoying, attention-seeking behaviors such as excessive barking or whining.
3. Personal Health: Many people need outside motivation to work out and may depend on an exercise buddy to get them off the couch. What happens when your exercise partner gets stuck at work or stuck in traffic or has another commitment? Your dog is only committed to one thing – you! That makes him the perfect exercise partner.

In a 2008 study based in Seattle and Baltimore, adults who regularly walked their dogs were less likely to be obese than their non-dog-owning neighbors. In addition, walking for 30 minutes a day will reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, colon and breast cancer, and type-2 diabetes ¹.

So, let us leash up, grab your furry friend, and hit the pavement. It’s not just about the physical steps; it’s about the joy, bonding, and well-being that come with every stride. 🚶‍♂️🐕

 

You get to return home to a balanced dog and your investment in their health benefits everyone for years to come!

 

Packages save you 3$ on every walk in standard and extended sizes!  Book now for a free same day quote!

 

(479) 304-9888 (text for free same day quote)