Glucosamine For Dogs

Dogs need exercise, and the activity they love more than any other is walking. However, many dog owners shirk the responsibility. Perhaps they simply don’t have time, or maybe they don’t realize how important it is to walk their dogs.

Others give it a go, but give up after being hauled around the neighborhood one time too often by an unruly dog. If any of the aforementioned scenarios describes you, pay attention, because I’d like to share a piece of information that every dog owner should know.

“Dogs have to have their walks!”

As any dog trainer will tell you, a dog needs to be exercised every day. Depending on breed, age, size and so on this can range from a short 30 minute walk, to hours of vigorous activity. But the point is that exercise is essential, and walking is probably the best exercise there is for a dog.

But dog walking is more than simply clipping on the dog’s lead and heading out the door. A few simple guidelines will make it an altogether more enjoyable experience, for you and the dog.

Here are some of the things you should be doing;

* Choose walk times carefully, avoiding the heat of the day. If you do have to walk when it’s hot, be sure to take water along for your dog, because dogs can overheat quite easily.

* Walk with your dog beside you, not in front of you. Allowing the dog to always be in the lead gives him the notion that he is the pack leader.

* Always keep slack on the lead. Every time you pull the dog back you just encourage him to pull in the opposite direction. Rather stop, wait for the dog to calm down, then continue.

* Maintain control of the walk. Don’t allow you dog to dictate direction and particularly when to stop. Sniffing around and marking should only happen when you allow it.

* Where possible, avoid other dogs. You have no idea of another dog’s temperament and matters can quickly get out of hand. If your dog is small, pick him up if a big dog approaches aggressively, if you have a big dog just walk in a different direction and avoid a confrontation.

You also don’t know if a strange dog has been vaccinated and if it is carrying any diseases that may be passed to your dog.

* Your dog’s leash and collar / harness should be comfortable, but must also allow you to control the dog. You should also ensure that your dog is wearing his id tag, just in case he runs off. This is very important with breeds that are known to be runners.

Wearing an identification tags gives you the highest probability that he will be returned safely. For the same reason it is advisable to have your dog micro-chipped.

* Finally, have fun! Walking your dog can be a really fun activity if you approach it in the right way. It’s one of the best ways of bonding with your dog, it’s an excellent work out for both of you, and your dog will be calmer and more obedient. All of that for just an hour of your time a day.

To learn more about dog training tips, dog behavior, dog health and other useful dog information visit www.dogsanddogtraining.com

Tags: dog obedience training, dog training, dog training tips, dogs

This entry was posted on Friday, January 6th, 2012 at 9:02 am and is filed under Dog Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.