Daily Dog Walks - Seriously Beneficial or Overrated?

You love your dog. I know you do. You wouldn't be reading this if you didn't. He is wonderful - he's always there for you, he never talks back, and he knows just what to do to make you laugh when you're feeling down. The only problem is that sometimes, he drives you up the wall with his relentless energy. Or maybe, he is destructive while you're gone, getting into the trash, or destroying everything in his path as soon as you leave the house. You're thinking, "I don't get it! He's got a backyard to run around in ALL DAY! He's got toys in the house to play with ALL DAY! Why is he bouncing off the walls when I get home?"

Most likely, your dog exhibits destructive behaviors or runs around like a crazy man because he is bored and has energy to burn. Dogs of every breed and size require daily exercise. Most dogs, when left alone, will not exercise themselves in a healthy, non-destructive way. Instead, they release their boredom on the nearest couch, TV stand, shoe, etc. (fill in the blank). As a pet sitter and dog walker, I hear people saying all the time, "Oh, you don't have to walk our dogs. They have a backyard." I've got news for you, folks. The dog is probably not using that backyard for exercise, even if he is in it all day long. For instance, mine lay on the deck all day.

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Scarlet, Lucy, and Minkey (the cat), laying out on the deck.

Daily dog walks are not only good for your health as well as your dog's. They go along way in burning his excess energy - energy that otherwise would be directed toward your favorite chair or the laundry room door!  The ASPCA agrees that walking your dog can help curb many destructive behaviors, such as digging or chewing; investigative behaviors, such as rummaging through the trash; and excessive hyperactivity during the day, or even worse, at night. Walking your dog for 30-minutes to an hour per day can lead to a reduction in destructive behaviors and just an all-around better behaved dog. 

Have you ever heard the phrase, "A tired dog is a happy dog?" It's true! Take my dogs for instance. I have three dogs: a 9-year-old female pit bull (Scarlet), an 8.5-year-old female Labrador Retriever (Lucy), and an 11-month-old male pit bull mix (Ripple). I get compliments almost daily while walking them on how well-behaved they are. The two older ones are so calm and mellow, I am lucky if they even greet me when I get home from work. Did I do any kind of special, complicated, rigorous training with them? No. But I do walk them at least 2 miles EVERY DAY. They also get to run off-leash once a week in the woods near our house. At first, I thought it I just had great dogs. However, after getting the puppy recently, it has come to my attention how beneficial the daily exercise they get is for their physical and mental health. The puppy, whom I've had for almost three months now, has not yet chewed anything he is not supposed to chew. He also sleeps through the night, every night. I have to attribute that, at least partially, to the daily exercise. It is also important for dogs to get mental stimulation as well, but that is for another blog!

Not only does it do your dog good to get out there and move every day, it provides many health benefits to you as well, such as an elevated mood, improved blood pressure, better digestion, and a decrease in weight to name a few. I know many people who wouldn't exercise at all if they weren't walking their dog. Their dog motivates them to get up off of the couch, grab the leashes and go! This is just one of the many ways that dogs improve our lives.

Now, you may be saying, "I understand the benefits of daily exercise for my dog, but I don't have time to walk my dog every day!" No problem. Nowadays, you can hire someone to walk your dog for you! Many professional pet sitting/dog walking organizations exist in most major cities in the U.S., as well as several locations in the U.K. and throughout Europe. They will gladly give your dog the exercise he needs, and most have very reasonable pricing. You can even find someone to run with your dog if he is more energetic than most. In Georgia, where I live, The Georgia Network of Petsitting Professionals (GNPP) is an organization of fully insured and bonded pet sitting companies throughout the state that provide pet sitting, dog walking, and pet boarding services. My company, Zen Dog, services Peachtree Corners, Norcross, Duluth, Johns Creek, and portions of Alpharetta, Roswell, Dunwoody, and Sandy Springs. 

Bottom line - your dog wants and NEEDS the exercise, and it would benefit you as well, so get out there and walk your dog!