The Importance of Walking Your Dog
Daily Walks Should be Incorporated in All Dog's Routine
Jul 17, 2009 Adrienne Farricelli
It is not that uncommon for prospective dog owners to decide to purchase a big yard or a home with some acreage for the ultimate purpose of making their dog happy. These owners really are trying hard to do the best for their dogs. By supplying a lot of space, they really believe that they are doing an enormous favor to their dog allowing plenty of space to roam around happily one day after another.
Indeed, a big city yard or better, some acreage may be a great opportunity for dogs to explore and run about, but it is unfotunate that dog owners mistakenly more likely than not, believe they can trade off daily walks for a big yard. So, they simply park the dog in the yard, feed the dog and back in the yard the dog goes as days,months and years go by.
By doing so, however, dog owners are missing out one of the most important aspects of dog ownership: demonstrating leadership through daily walks.
What Walking Means in Dogs
Walking for dogs is a very primal instinct. In the wild, dogs migrated for miles and miles each day in search of food. Often, these migrations lasted up to ten hours. Really a lot when compared to the small daily one hour walks most domesticated dogs are allotted each day!
Upon observing a pack of wolves migrating through diverse territories in search of foods, it is interesting to notice that the pack is always guided by a leader, the alpha dog. This leader is the one responsible for major decision making such as where to go and what to do. The pack therefore, will obediently follow the leader.
It is interesting to note that the pack is usually very attentive to the leader and will follow without trying to walk in front or slow down the pack to sniff stuff along the way. Rather, the pack will walk together in an orderly fashion with the leader always in charge and alert.
In the domesticated dog's life, as the owner, you are the ultimate alpha leader. Your dog will watch you for guidance and directions. He should never pull you because in doing so he is demonstrating that he is the leader or that he is attempting to challenge your authority.
Dogs therefore should always be walking next to the owner or slightly beside the owner. This is a form of respect for your authoritarian figure.
The Walking Ritual
In the wild, wolves and wild canines in general, tend to walk in the morning and in the late afternoon. During these times is usually when they succesfully hunt and get to eat. In a home setting, this ritual of walking and then eating can be reproduced by following some simple yet, effective guidelines.
- The owner calls the dog to himself. The dog is asked to sit and the collar is slipped on only once the dog is submissive and calm. A collar should never be put on when the dog is very excited.
- Because the owner is the leader he must exit the door first. This replicates what happens in the wild. In the wild, pack leaders check the environment first to make sure everything is clear.
- Once out, the walk takes place with the dog always next to the owner or slightly besides him. There should be a zero tolerance for pulling.
- Upon coming home, the owner should have breakfast first. In the wild, pack leaders eat first and then the rest of the pack follows in pecking order. The dog therefore, should patiently await without begging until the owner is done.
- The dog is finally fed after sitting and released to eat using a word command.
- The dog may then play a little bit , simply celebrating the fact that his primal needs have been fulfilled and then he may settle down in a calm state of mind.
Dogs were born to walk. By depriving them from daily walks owners are depriving them from a very important function in their life. Walk your dog every day, your dog will be very grateful and you will provide a great opportunity to establish your leadership while strongly bonding with your dog.
For further reading:
How to Show Your Dog Leadership
The Walk: The proper way to walk your dog
Walking is a great way to bond with your dog
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