Paw Pals Pet Sitting

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Dog Walking Tips For New Owners

August 10, 2020 by Mary Telesz

new dog owners should educate themselves on dog walkingIf you have just become a first-time dog owner, congratulations! Many dog owners have described having a dog as one of the best experiences a person could have. With being a dog owner, however, comes a responsibility to take steps to ensure your dog’s comfort and wellbeing. Walking your dog is a common task in ensuring it’s comfort and wellbeing.

One of the most enjoyable and most important activities you can do with your dog is taking it for a walk. Your dog will view its walks with you as the highlight of its day, and become excited as soon as it sees you grab the leash. As such, your dog will stay excited for the first several minutes of its walk.

As a responsible owner, you will need to learn how to walk your dog safely and provide training for your dog. You need to be able to manage the dog before it becomes unruly and difficult to control. If an overly excited dog gets away from you, it can spell trouble and even tragedy. What follows is an overview of steps you should take while walking your dog to ensure your dog remains safe and secured.

5 Helpful Dog Walking Tips

Whether you are a brand new dog owner or an experienced dog owner, you should not underestimate the importance of taking your dog for a walk. Merely letting your dog spend time by itself in your yard will not provide your dog with the exercise it needs to stay mentally and physically healthy.

A walk is critical for your dog’s mental stimulation. It feeds their need for social interaction and exploration and also gives them some exercise. Dogs are athletic and they need the physical activity they get from their walks. Without adequate exercise, they will develop behavior issues and become “problem” dogs. Here are some tips for making your walk fun and safe for both of you:

Try to Stick to a Dog Walking Schedule

If possible, take your walks at about the same time each day. Ideally, your schedule will include a walk in the morning, and another in the evening. Over time, your dog will begin to trust that schedule, and its stress levels throughout the day will diminish. You may notice your dog’s behavior improve in between walk times as this routine continues.

Let Your Dog Be a Dog for the First Few Minutes of the Walk

dogs have tendency to sniff while walkingBefore you start your walk, let your dog release a little energy by playing with it. Play a few rounds of fetch or tug of war with your dog. After a few minutes of vigorous play, your dog will be more open to being restrained by a leash.

After you attach the leash, there are a few steps you should take. Pause often, and let your dog use the first few minutes of your walk to explore. Your dog will want to sniff the ground, shrubbery and nearly anything else it encounters. Your dog’s need to explore by sniffing around is hard-wired into your dog’s brain. When doing so, your dog is assessing what other dogs, humans or animals have recently been in the area.

Once your dog has had some time to do this exploration, it will be able to begin mentally to focus on the physical part of the walk itself. Gradually begin to get your dog to spend less time sniffing and more time walking. As you walk, give your dog some breaks along the way. Pause and let it explore.

The mental exercise your dog gets from its exploration can be just as tiring as the physical exercise it gets from the walk. All these types of stimulation can help your dog be calmer and more susceptible to settling down.

If Your Dog Pulls, Use a Front-Clip Harness

When your dog insists on pulling, the walk is unpleasant for the owner. If the dog is insistent or strong, the dog can break away and get loose, which can make things unsafe. Try using a harness that can be clipped to the leash in front of your dog’s chest. As with any harness, make sure it fits your dog securely. A front-clip harness discourages the dog from pulling. When your dog tries to pull, the pressure on the leash will cause your dog to turn and face you.

Pay Attention to Surface Conditions

Consider the surface you are walking on. In the hot summer months, pavement can burn your dog’s sensitive paws. In the winter-time, ice, snow, and salt can cut the dog’s paws. Avoid making your best friend walk on these unsafe and painful surfaces with bare paws. Invest in some booties or protective coverings made specifically for pets for any essential outdoor activities.

Carry Treats and Water

Invest in a belt or pouch in which you can carry your dog’s favorite treats during your walks. You can use them to regain your dog’s attention if it gets distracted by something and to reward your dog for behavior you want to reinforce. Also, in the hot summer months, a belt or pouch can be used to carry water for your dog to help avoid heat stress!

Make Sure to Pick Up After Your Dog

In some areas, picking up after your dog is required by local laws or regulations. Even if it’s not required, it’s a matter of cleanliness and courtesy to clean up after your dog on a walk. Make sure to carry bags for cleanup on walks, and dispose of any mess properly.

Hire a Professional Dog-Walking Service Like the Professionals at Paw Pals

professional dog walking service is ideal for busy ownersWalking your dog is one of the most important activities of your dog’s day. Make it count. If your schedule is too busy to walk your dog, hire a reputable service to do it for you. New dog owners can get plenty of help from the dog walking professionals at Paw Pals. The team at Paw Pals can give you guidance on dog walking and other pet care questions and their experienced dog-walking professionals are available to walk your dog and perform other care tasks for you each day.

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 – 20151
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.
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
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