Why is it important to walk your dog daily? Besides the obvious health benefits of exercise, we’re looking at the advantages of daily dog walking that many people don’t realize. Sometimes people can give a list of reasons not to walk their dog, so we’re covering why to start and what defines appropriate exercise for dogs.
In the episode you'll hear:
- That our dog Tater Salad does not particularly like walking at certain times.
- About the health benefits of walking for dogs.
- What my friends Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib say about canine exercise.
- Why leaving your dog out in the backyard is not exercise.
- That dogs benefit from a change of scenery and it can reduce stress and behavior issues.
- How taking your dog for a walk presents great training opportunities.
- The reason to find opportunities for your dog to go for a run off leash.
- About walks being relationship building and special adventure time for you and your dog.
- That walks have benefits for us and how I make a habit of gratitude when walking.
- What types of dogs should not be walked and what you can do instead.
- The common denominator in dogs with long life spans.
Resources:
- *Book: Forever Dog by Rodney Habib and Dr Karen Becker
- YouTube Playlist: Loose Leash Walking with Susan Garrett
- Sniff Spot
- Podcast Episode 174: Dopamine In Dog Training: Anticipation, Rewards, And The Transfer Of Value
- YouTube Video: Puppy's First Training with Susan Garrett: Shaping, Targeting and Collar Conditioning
- YouTube Playlist: Exercising Your Dog's Body and Mind: Tips and Games with Susan Garrett
- YouTube Playlist: Reactive or Aggressive Dogs: Key Insights with Susan Garrett
- Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube
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I walk my dog several times a day but most are potty break walks as we live in a city with a small backyard. We do one long walk at the end of the day once I finish work (I work from home). This is more of a power walk unless we run into a neighbor and then it becomes a social walk. My pup loves my neighbors and their dogs so at times when we are all out it becomes a social visit. I have neighbors who stop their cars and pull over just to say hello to Ozzy. We have playtime in the backyard each day as well weather permitting and this is his favorite time of day. That is also the time we use for training. I also like to set up play dates with the neighborhood dogs when possible.
I recently joined Recallers June 2023. My puppy is a leash pull -er when distracted. she used to be able to run sometimes on our property, but I have stopped that since I am doing recall work with her.. my question is I do practice the RZ in the house and she does pretty good. We just moved to outside on the driveway not so good however I need to let her out to use the bathroom. I have a balance problem so I don’t necessarily want her always in my RZ so with that being said, is there a way to teach your dog to walk on a loose leash just further away from my body. I will use the.RZ when I am out but around the house outside just for a quick bathroom breaks I prefer a more leisure walk
Hi Susan , i have a 2 year old Hungarian Viszla and i cannot motivate him to get out walking. I literally have to catch him to put the leash on because once he sees it he will run away because he knows that he will go for a walk. once he is out there walking he is fine but how do i get him to be excited about going for a walk . i have subscribed to home school the dog and crate games and i am wondering if there is a procedure i can use to get him to love a walk. Thank you. Nick , Melbourne Australia
Love your podcasts Susan! I’m currently in recallers and my 2 yr old border collie and I love the games. I have been taking Molly for walks minimum 1-2 x daily since she was 16 weeks old. Also training her at home and in different areas . At 6 months she became leash reactive to anything that walked by. She also started stopping and refusing to move. I have been counter conditioning her daily for over a year. Yes, she is a little better but bikes and joggers still put her over the top. I take her to new spots, walk her during times when most people are not out…. But then there is always that occasional jogger or bike that doesn’t care that it’s dark outside! I’ve done homeschool the dog, crate games, listened to every podcast you have made and I’m 100% in with your teaching.
How long should I expect to continue to counter condition and see a noticeable change in her behavior?