Walking with Your Dog as a Team

Know how far your dog can, and is willing to walk each day. When a dog is a puppy, the energy is there but the stamina isn't. A young adult can walk for miles if it has someone to walk with. An older dog cannot go for miles. When I first got my dog Rambo, we would go non-stop for an hour and a half each walk because he had that much energy and we both loved the open fields and woods we tramped through. Within the past year, old Rambo has slowed to the point where we take forty-five minutes to go around a two block square because he stops a lot to scratch, roll in the grass, or eat the grass. I have a friend who, with her five year old Lab, can walk around state parks and trails for an entire day. I have another friend, whose dog is happy just to go down the steps and up to the corner and back. Don't force the dog if the dog has problems with the distance and duration. But do be aware that a dog, regardless of age, needs at least 30 minutes per day of vigorous activity to raise their heart rate.

Change routes when possible. Dogs get bored with routine. Yes, dogs need predictability; but dogs also love to explore and find new things. Even my dog, at 13, still loves to pick his own route when he is allowed; and there are days when he will let me know that he wants to go for a longer walk, and other days when he shows he wants to only go a quick trip around the block. Regardless of where you live, taking different routes helps not only keep your dog alert, interested, and energetic but also gets both you and your dog familiar with the area you live in. This is actually a good method of training your dog to find the way home should they get separated from you. Knowing the area is important for you because you can think of where your dog might be. When Rambo and I lived in the country, he would go chase rabbits. If I didn't see him for over ten minutes, I would head back towards the house and he would always be at the front door waiting for me to catch up.

One of the more important tips I can give on dog walking etiquette is do not force your dog to move, coax and be gentle. Dogs, by nature, get to know their surroundings by smell. Dogs will stop when they find a new smell, and will sometimes try to follow it. If your dog stops for longer than a few moments, don't force the dog but instead gently, and firmly, take hold of your dog by the back of the neck and calmly move the dog in the direction you want by a few inches; they will get the hint. Training your dog via word command is another good way. Continuous and consistent use of one command to get the dog moving will work. The more you force your dog, the more you will build resentment between you and your dog as well as possibly causing your dog to react negatively in the future.