• Nadine Whittal, dog trainer writes:
One of the many activities that pet owners look forward to is walking their dogs. It is an excellent excuse to get outside and get a bit of exercise. Although it is also a good way to spend time with your dog there are both positive and negative aspects to dog-walking.
The one obvious benefit to walking your dog is the health aspect. We all know that walking is an excellent form of exercise and, for example, improves cardiovascular health. Another benefit is the social aspect. When walking your dogs you come across other dog walkers, runners, pedestrians and cyclists. This is an excellent form of socialising without the risk that comes with deeply intimate relationships. Thus, dog-walking is both physically and emotionally beneficial to you, the dog handler.
However, one needs to be careful about where you walk your dogs and how you do it. Walking down the street can be great because you have very easy access to it. However, it can be traumatic for the dog if other dogs are running up to their gates and barking at it.
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Many people believe that dogs are just saying “hi” to each other, but fact is they’re yelling at each other. Your dog might develop fear or aggression issues in response to being yelled at continuously.
Walking dogs in dog parks can also present a risk. Some people who do not pay proper attention to their dogs and allow them to run amok in dog parks. As a result, a bunch of dogs are running around and getting in the faces of others. Again, this can cause fear or aggression issues if any incident becomes harsh enough. If you are going to walk your dog in a dog park, you need to be careful not to let it out of sight, and to make sure that your dog is behaving in a manner that is acceptable to other dogs. Further, you should try to avoid walking near people or dogs running amok.
Wherever you walk your dog, the onus is on you to ensure that both you and your dog have a positive experience. You need to ensure that you are properly supportive of your dog whilst still allowing it freedom to explore. If you can meet these criteria then walking your dog can be a healthy experience for all involved.
