Did you know 20% of us do not take our dogs to walk every day?

If you also do so, you are missing the chance to spend some quality time with your pooch. Walking your dog is more than a potty break as it not only lets your dog exercise but also promotes their overall well-being.

Walking your dog regularly needs motivation and habit. Knowing the importance of walking for your furry friend, you would want to start with it as soon as possible.

Below are some tips that you can follow to make the walk enjoyable for you as well as for your dog.

Must-know dog walking tips

1.      Use a front clip harness in case your dog pulls the leash

Try walking with a front clip harness if your dog constantly tries to pull on the leash. When you make your dog wear a harness or collar with a back clip, it promotes more pulling.

If you are struggling with restraining your dog with leash pull, then switching to a back clip harness gives you so much relief. A front-clip harness helps make the walk easier and prove to be a good investment.

A harness is meant to train your dog to ignore you and pull you. So, when you try to get control by pulling the leash, it drives the attention of your dog away from you.

Make sure to check the clip at the front of the harness if you want to keep your dog from pulling. However, the right harness alone cannot solve all the problems. You still need to invest some time in training your dog.

2.      Give them extra time to sniff around

It is important to understand that dog walks are not just about physical exercise it is more than that. The walk is the time when your dog gets to explore new things. So it is crucial to let them sniff around, give them extra time for this.

Decide on an area that you feel is safe and appropriate for them to explore. Give your dog a sniff break, loosen the leash of your dog and let them sniff around properly.

By sniffing, your dog gets mentally stimulated and gathers the information. This way, they can keep track of what is going around in the neighbourhood. You may wonder to know how exhausting it could be for your dog to go on a walk with no sniffing breaks.

3.      Clean up your dog poop

Always remember to clean up your dog poop when on a walk. Picking up the poop not only makes you a tidy neighbour, but it also helps to avoid any health issues that can be caused by your dog’s poop.

Your dog’s poop may have harmful organisms such as E. coli, giardia, roundworms, hookworms, and salmonella- organisms that can cause health hazards and create a mess for other living beings. And when this waste is left on the ground, it pollutes the soil and water with diseases, bacteria, and pathogens.

4.      Keep water with you for your dog

Dogs need water during physical exercise to stay cool. Also, it helps them to burn more glucose.

If you are on a walk for about half an hour or more, take plenty of water with you for your dog, especially in hot weather. It is quite hard for dogs to maintain their body temperature, and thus they need water to avoid overheating. Also, the dog sweats a lot during exercise and has chances to get dehydrated during hot weather.

We recommend you to buy a collapsible water bottle with a lid and clip so it will be easier for your dog to drink water and also for you to carry. You can also use a dog backpack to store the water bottle. The backpack also makes the dog more focused on their walk. It is a good training tool and a convenient way to carry their stuff. 

5.      Avoid using a retractable leash

As you know the importance of using the right leash for your dog walk; here is a recommendation: avoid retractable leashes. A retractable leash would cause you unwanted troubles as compared to traditional leashes.

Most of the retractable leashes are so long, and it becomes difficult for you to control your dog, especially when walking in high traffic areas. You won’t have much control, and the dogs can rush to the street, and it becomes difficult for you to reel in. The locks on retractable leashes are known to detach with enough pressure. Also, retractable leashes are blamed to cause injuries to dogs and dog owners.

6.      Keep their favourite treats with you

When you walk out, there are several distractions for your furry friend. Make your dog maintain the focus by bringing their favourite treats with you during the walk. You can grab their attention in trouble making situations by showing them the treats. However, it is not necessary to keep store-bought treats. You can also try some DIY dog treats using fruits, vegetables, or meat.

7.      Keep them away from hot pavement in summer

Check if the pavement you are making them walk is not too hot. Just keep your hand or foot over the pavement for about 5 seconds. If you feel hot on your skin, it is hot for your dog too. Keep them away from these hot pavements as it can burn their delicate paws and cause injuries.

To be on the safer side, we recommend you to take your dog for a walk in the grass, over the wood, or in the park in the summers. You can also get some boots for them if your dog is comfortable wearing them. Also, you can take out time to walk early in the morning or late evenings to avoid the hot sun.

Following the dog walking tips, you and your dog can enjoy the walk and strengthen the bond. If you are looking for some quality dog supplies, visit Bully Billows. You will get the best quality leashes, collars, and harnesses here.