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7 Dog Walking Tips Everyone Should Know

June 25, 2020 by Mary Telesz

dog walking tipsLooking for dog walking tips? Every dog owner should include walking a dog at least a couple of times each day as a regular part of their routine. Even if you are lucky enough to have a yard, do not make the mistake of assuming that outdoor time in the yard provides your dog with adequate exercise. Your dog needs a proper walk for its physical and its mental well-being.

In the eyes of your dog, each walk is an adventure. It gives your dog physical exercise, mental stimulation, and a chance to socialize with other dogs and humans. Best of all, it is a special time to bond with you. You can even make the walk more meaningful by doing some training exercises along the way.

Tips to Make Your Walk Most Enjoyable for You and Your Dog

As soon as you reach for your dog’s leash, your dog will most likely react by becoming very excited about the prospect of a walk. With the dog’s excitement level ratcheted up, your job as the owner is to manage that energy by keeping the walk fun but at the same time safe. Here are some important ways to do just that:

Divide Your Walk into Segments

During the first five or ten minutes of the walk, your dog will be most excited. Go at a slow pace. Give your dog a chance to expel some energy. Play fetch or other games with your dog. Let it sniff around and explore the surroundings. Refrain from requiring the dog to heel immediately, or stay or to submit to rigid obedience commands. Your dog will find it difficult, if not impossible, to heed your directions during the initial stages of the walk.

divide your walk into segmentsBy giving the dog some time to satisfy its needs to play a little, explore the area, and announce its presence to the world, your dog will be better able to pay attention to you for the remainder of the walk.

Once your dog has shaken off some of its initial excitement about being outside, you will probably notice that your dog is more responsive to you and is willing to walk along with you. Now you are ready for the next segment of the walk. Encourage your dog to move forward with you with occasional pauses to sniff around and take care of business. This should be the part of the walk that gives the dog some physical exercise. Cover some distance and walk at a regular pace for a while. How long you walk depends on your dog’s health, and that of your own.

On the return trip, you may find your dog slowing down. It may be less interested in sniffing the ground, and it may even lag behind you. These are indications that the dog is tired, so take it slow. On hot days, it may stop to rest in the shade.

Bring Treats

If your dog is easily distracted while on a walk, have some of its favorite treats on hand. Treats will enable you to refocus your dog onto you, and you can reward it when it does what you ask.

Bring Plenty of Water

Get in the habit of carrying water for your dog, especially on hot days. You can find portable water bowls at a pet supply shop or online. You don’t want your dog suffering from heat stroke or drinking foul water that could be dangerous.

Watch Out for Hot Pavement in Summer and Icy Pavement in Winter

your dog’s paws will burn on hot pavementPay attention to the weather and the conditions of the surface you are walking on. Your dog’s paws will burn on hot pavement. In the winter, the ice and snow can cut those paws, and hard, irregular surfaces can cause injuries. Chemicals in snow-melting treatments, such as salt and urea, can also injure your dog’s paws.

If at all possible, pay attention to the weather in Northern Virginia and avoid walking your dog on those surfaces. If you cannot avoid it, you can try using paw-protecting boots that are properly fitted. Some dogs need time to adjust to the way the boots feel, so give your dog plenty of time to adjust. Another option is to change the time of day that you walk, or drive your dog to another location to walk.

Ask Before Approaching Other Dogs

When your dog wants to greet another dog, always ask the other dog’s owner permission before you or your dog approaches the other dog. Not all dogs are friendly to other dogs or strangers. Some dogs are “leash sensitive”, meaning that they are more likely to respond negatively while on a leash if they feel threatened or annoyed by another dog.

Wear Reflective Gear in the Dark

Put a reflective collar on your dog for walking on dark nights. Oncoming traffic needs to be able to see the dog, especially if your dog escapes from you.

Always Pick Up Poop

Most dog owners know that local ordinances require them to clean up after their pet. Nonetheless, a surprising number of dog owners fail to comply. Not only is dog poop stinky and disgusting, it is a vector for the spread of parasites and diseases. Picking up your dog’s poop and disposing of it properly helps protect the health and wellbeing of everyone.

Get Help from the Dog Walking Experts at Paw Pals

Help your dog get the most out of its walks by walking with purpose. The dog walking experts at Paw Pals are available to talk to you about caring for your dog and give you more dog walking strategies and other pet care tips. If you are someone whose schedule prevents you from regular dog walking, the Paw Pals professionals are available to take care of that for you. Contact them today for more information.

Filed Under: Dog Walking

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Office Location

Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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Office Hours

Monday
9am - 5pm
Tuesday
9am - 5pm
Wednesday
9am - 5pm
Thursday
9am - 5pm
Friday
9am - 5pm
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Areas Served

Centreville – 20120, 20121
Chantilly – 22151
Clifton – 20124
Fairfax – 22030, 22033
Fairfax Station – 22039
Manassas – 20109, 20110, 20111
Reston – 20191, 20190

Google Rating
5.0
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
5.0
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
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