How To Make Walking Your Dog A Fun And Safe Daily Event
All dogs, large and small, require daily exercise especially when they are confined to a house or apartment. A fenced backyard allows the dog to roam freely while at the same time provides a safe area. Dogs can find interesting things to sniff in their backyards and may on occasion go after the neighborhood squirrel that happens to be searching for a snack in the dog's backyard.
However, it's always a special treat when the dog's owner can take the dog for a walk on a leash through the neighborhood or in a nearby park. A good leash walk will take around 30 minutes and should occur two times a day. This amount of time will allow the dog to relieve itself and to get a good amount of exercise.
Walking accessories for the dog are very simple and inexpensive to purchase. A good fitting harness or dog collar can be used with a retractable leash. This type of leash allows the dog to get more exercise since a dog can stop momentarily to take in the smells of the area then catch up with its master by running. Cleaning up after the dog is important especially to keep a status of good neighbor. Plastic bags like those that contain a newspaper work extremely well when picking up the dog's waste.
While walking your dog, always be vigilant of any other dogs that may be exercising at the same time. If your dog gets overly excited at the sight of another dog, it might be advisable to have your dog sit away from the sidewalk or trail until the other dog passes.
Dog Parks
Dog parks are now popular in many communities and provide a great place for dogs to play as long as the dogs have no aggressive tendencies. When arriving at a dog park, survey the other dogs in it to see if there are any unfriendly activities with other dogs. While using the park keep a close eye on your dog so that potential problems such as fighting can be stopped before they start.
Dog Attacks
As seen occasionally in newspaper reports, there have been instances of aggressive dogs running freely that have attacked both the leashed dog and its owner. This is a very dangerous situation. One product carried by dog walkers is mace dog repellant. In the event of a dog attack, this product can shoot small bursts of mace up to 19 feet. This may seem cruel but every year there are 4.5 million dog bite victims in the United States with 368,000 people going to the Emergency Room and 34 people being fatally mauled.
Walking the dog is an enjoyable event for most people. It allows the dog owner and dog to get pleasure in the lovely outdoors and at the same time get the benefits of good exercise.
