It's National Walk Your Dog Week!

The first week in October marks National Walk Your Dog Week! Although the holiday's founder, Colleen Paige, originally conceived of it as a one-day affair, she quickly realized that a whole week devoted to this important task offered greater benefits to dogs and their owners. But why does the simple act of walking your dog matter so much, what does your four-legged friend get out of it, and what can you do to make the routine easier and more fun? Let's take a stroll through the subject of dog walking.

The Many Benefits of Walking Your Dog

Although the occasional frigid morning or rainy day may prompt your dog to stay comfortably indoors, most canines relish the prospect of getting out of the house and exploring the world around them. But a daily dog walk offers more than just something to do. Take a look at the significant benefits of walking your dog.

Physical Benefits of Dog Walking

Walking helps your dog maintain muscle tone for optimal strength and flexibility. It burns calories -- a major plus when you consider the serious health complications of pet obesity, from heart disease to joint pain. Speaking of joint pain, regular walks can keep your dog's weight-bearing joints limber at all ages.

Walking even holds benefits for your dog's urinary and digestive systems. A routine walk gives your dog opportunities to pee and poop on a regular schedule. This consistency can help prevent urinary tract infections and constipation.

Don't forget the potential health benefits you may also enjoy from walking your dog regularly. After all, when you walk your dog, you also walk yourself. Exercise is just as important for human health as it is for canine health. Those daily walks can ensure that both of you get a much-needed workout!

Mental and Emotional Benefits

Dogs get bored if they have nothing to do but sit around the house all day. By walking your dog, you're providing it with important sensory stimulation -- from the feel of various surfaces under its feet to its encounters with new sounds, enticing smells, and other pets and humans. You can even head for the nearest park and turn that walk into a full-scale play session.

Dog walking offers emotional benefits as well as mental stimulation. Your four-legged friend wants to spend time with you, and walking offers an ideal chance to strengthen your emotional bond. You may even notice that your dog does less barking or whining to get your attention at home.

Major Steps Toward Productive Walks

You shouldn't just take a new puppy or an untrained adult dog out on walks without a bit of preparation. Take the following important steps to ensure a positive walking experience.

• Leash Training - Your dog needs to know how to walk on a leash calmly and obediently. Start by letting your dog get accustomed to the collar or harness and leash at home. If you're having trouble, engage a professional trainer to help your pet get the hang of walking on a leash without pulling or resisting.
• Socialization - While regular walking can help your dog grow comfortable around other animals and their owners, some pre-walk socialization will help. Invite loved ones over to interact with your dog so it can get used to meeting people. Teach your dog such basic commands as "Sit" and "Stay" so you can control it better during encounters with others, rewarding correct responses with treats. Maintain a little distance between your pup and strangers until it appears comfortable with first encounters.

When Your Dog Needs Help Walking

Many dogs suffer from conditions that prevent them from making full use of their back legs, from accidental injuries that damage the spinal cord to neurological ailments and congenital abnormalities. But even if your pup faces this sort of challenge, that's no reason to keep him from enjoying a happy, active life -- including the joys of a daily walk.

A dog wheelchair can allow an animal with weak or non-functioning rear legs to join its human and canine pals on leisurely walks. A typical dog wheelchair consists of a cart or harness adjusted to fit the animal's body and support its rear legs, with a pair of wheels for easy rolling while the dog's front legs do the work. Some dog wheelchairs are equally well suited for both paved and unpaved surfaces.

Bear in mind that you'll have to give your dog time to get acquainted with its wheelchair and learn how to use it properly. You should also watch your dog during walks to make sure it doesn't overexert itself by going too fast or too far. If your dog appears tired, take a break and then head for home.

What Does Your Vet Say?

Even if your dog doesn't need a wheelchair to get around, you may want to schedule a veterinary consultation to get the all-clear before setting up a regular walking routine. For instance, a dog undergoing heartworm treatment may need exercise restrictions until the treatment is completed. On the other hand, your vet may enthusiastically recommend that your dog has regular walks to help manage issues such as arthritis, muscle weakness, or obesity. Hopefully, you and your dog can make great strides toward better health and a deeper relationship!