Keep Your Dogs Healthy and Happy
Did you know that regular exercise could:

• Energize your dog’s body, mind and spirit
• Lower stress and decrease health concerns
• Relieve boredom and decrease behavioural issues
• Increase socialization

Dogs need to be social and active. Walking is a healthy way to blow off steam and help them relax. It is a great way to reward yourself and your dog. If you do not have the time or energy to walk your dog regularly, consider hiring a professional dog walker to help.

We lead very busy lives and we sometimes forget how important it is to walk our dogs. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association recommends at least two daily walks and bases your walks on your dog’s age and genetics. Like humans, dogs come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Most small or lower energy dogs require thirty to fortyfive minute walks, while high-energy dogs require more than sixty minutes.

You would not want to take your bulldog on a ten kilometre run or your greyhound on a walk around the block. By knowing your dog’s strengths and weaknesses, you can play up their strengths and make your walk more enjoyable.

Another way to make your walk more enjoyable is to have the right equipment. If your dog likes to pull, consider using a walking harness. It is kinder to the spine and offers more control.

Martingale collars are great at curbing choking as they tighten to a certain point and do not put pressure on the trachea.

Head harnesses are another option for overexcited dogs; in general, if you control your dog’s head, you can control the rest of its body. Not every dog likes them and they do take time to adjust to the harness.

Choose a six-foot leash over a flexi leash. You will have more control over where and how your dog walks. By making a commitment to walk together, you reward yourself and your dog by reducing your stress levels and by strengthening that special bond between you both.

Corry Hamilton BSc. Bioc