How Often Should You Walk Your Dog? Find Out Here

Pet experts recommend walking your dog once a day. Unfortunately, over 20% of dog owners don’t. Some shockingly don’t even walk their dog once a week. If a dog isn’t given the opportunity to go outside and burn off energy daily, then they can become pent up and aggressive. This makes your dog a danger to yourself and to guests. Not only can it make your dog aggressive, but it is also incredibly cruel to keep a dog locked up without any exercise.

This article will explain how often you should optimally walk your dog, as well as some tips for making walking your dog easier:

How Often Should You Walk Your Dog?

As mentioned in this article’s introduction, experts recommend walking your dog at least once a day. This should be the bare minimum. Ideally, you should walk your dog three times a day. Morning, noon, and night. Alternatively, if you can only walk your dog once a day then you should take them out on a very long walk so that they can expend all of their energy. Taking your dog out twice, once in the morning and once at night is also a good idea. An evening walk wears your dog out so that they can sleep all night.

Hiring a Dog Walker

If you simply don’t have the time to walk your dog, then you should hire a dog walker to walk yours for you. Not taking your dog out for a walk because you don’t have the time to isn’t an option. According to the dog walkers from H&H Dog, if you are struggling to find the time to walk your dog, hiring a dog walker is the perfect solution. This is a sentiment shared by many pet experts, who say professional dog walkers can be a lifesaver for busy pet owners.

Use a Harness

If you walk your dog yourself, then you are probably familiar with your dog pulling on the leash. For many pet owners, a dog who pulls can be a nightmare. It makes walking them very uncomfortable, especially if the walker is small and the dog is large and solidly built. A harness is a great solution for a dog who likes to pull. More specifically, a front harness. Back harnesses can make it easier for your dog to pull you, whereas front harnesses ground them and keep you in control.

Retractable Leashes

If you are going to be walking your dog, then we have some advice: Don’t use retractable leashes. Retractable leashes make it incredibly difficult to control your dog, especially in busy areas. If your dog is allowed to run the length of the leash, then they could pull you to the ground and drag you along. Make sure to use a sturdy, strong leash. Many experts recommend using chain leashes because they are solid and can’t be broken. They also keep your dog in place and prevent them from pulling you away.

Approaching Dogs

Make sure to call your dog back if they ever approach other dogs. Some pet owners don’t like it when a strange dog approaches theirs. This is especially true in open fields and secluded places. Try to get your dog out of the habit of approaching other people’s dogs. If you see one approaching yours, then call them back and put them on their leash until the dog has passed or the owner has come and collected them.

Encourage Exploration

If you want your dog to expend their energy, then they also need to expend mental energy. Your dog shouldn’t just be allowed to run free in open fields. They should also be allowed to explore with their noses and sniff around. Many dog owners, the minute that their dog begins sniffing a bush or a patch of grass, begin shouting or pulling them away. Unless you can see something that would pose a threat to your dogs, such as a chicken bone or glass, then let them investigate. This provides mental stimulation and helps to keep them engaged with their surroundings. Make sure to train them to immediately stop doing something on command. This will prevent them from hurting themselves if they do encounter something dangerous. 

Clean Up!

When you are walking your dog and they inevitably stop to poop, make sure that you clean up after them. Not cleaning up after your dog is not a victimless crime, like many assume. Dog muck left around is disgusting, attracts vermin, and can pose a slip hazard, not to mention if somebody were to stand in it and ruin their shoes it would be your fault. Pet waste can contain harmful organisms, which can pose a threat to other animals who encounter it. Make sure to clean up after your dog. Always bring little black bags along with you, so that you can be prepared for when they go to the bathroom.

Hydration

If you live in a hot climate, then hydration is crucial. You need to ensure that your dog is always hydrated and isn’t allowed to go thirsty. Dogs suffer from heatstroke, just like humans do. Make sure to always bring a bottle of water and a metal bowl with you, so that you can give them water if they look thirsty. When your dog’s tongue starts drooping and wagging, it’s usually a sign that they are thirsty. Keeping your dog hydrated is crucial to their health and survival. On colder days water isn’t an urgency when you are going for moderate walks, but on hot days it is an absolute necessity.

Identification Collar

Make sure that your dog is always wearing an identification collar when you take them out for a walk. Dogs regularly escape from their owners and find themselves many miles away. If your dog does escape while out on your walk together, an identification collar will help people to find them and to bring them back home to you. Identification collars are very inexpensive and can be made and delivered to your home in a matter of days. Don’t ever let your dog leave the house without one. You should also get your dog microchipped. Walking your dog is a very important part of providing them with a good quality of life. As this article has already said, you should walk your dog at the very minimum once a day. Make sure to implement the tips suggested here, to improve the quality of your dog’s walks, and if you can’t walk them, contact a dog walker as soon as possible.