Dogs need exercise and they love walks. However, in cities, the space to take dogs for walks is shrinking. And, as responsible dog owners, you need to ensure your dog is leash trained.
If you have a dog, especially a large dog, then taking the dog for long walks is essential. Just like us, dogs need plenty of exercise; otherwise they could turn obese, which is bad for their health, or destructive because they need to channelise that extra energy somewhere. And that means they could destroy your slippers, newspapers, magazines, etc! And, most dogs love walks. Not only is it exercise, for them, it’s an opportunity to check out new smells, explore and even socialise with other dogs.
And, it’s not just about walks; pooches need to answer the call of nature too! Unless you live in an independent house with a compound, you need to take your dog out. In crowded neighbourhoods, this could be an exercise fraught with complications. If your dog takes a poop in the middle of the road or in front of someone’s gate, be prepared for an angry neighbour coming out and giving you a mouthful and an earful! You can’t blame them…and you can’t blame your dog!
During summers, it is scorching hot and taking your dog out for a walk when the sun is out is a no-no. He could get a heat stroke, get dehydrated or burn his paws.
Some solutions
So, how do you overcome these obstacles? Regarding the call of nature, you could train your dog, when it’s a puppy, to do its job in the loo. But this means you will have to clean up your loo at least thrice or four times a day. It is much simpler if you could train your pup not to take a poop in the centre of the road. Take it to a designated area in your neighbourhood – it could be close to the garbage dump, or an abandoned spot or a deserted stretch of pavement. Train it to take a poop close to the wall and not bang in the centre of the pavement (if there is one!). Tough? Yes, it is, but with patience, a dog will understand and do its job in designated areas. I have trained my dogs to always poop on the side and they never do their job in the centre of the road or in front of someone’s gate. Carry a poop scoop, a plastic bag or newspaper. If your doggy does decide to take a dump in an inconvenient spot, it’s common courtesy to clean it up so that some hapless passer-by does not step into it.
Whatever else, your pooch needs its daily dose of exercise. If you have the time or the inclination, you could take it to a park or the beach every morning or evening for a half-hour to one-hour run. Alternatively, select a time when traffic is less in the neighbourhood – early morning or after 9 pm– and take your doggie for a long walk then. Remember to keep your dog on a leash; if a stray cat excites your dog, he or she may dash onto the road and get hit by a passing vehicle. And, never take your dog for a long walk in the afternoon or when the sun is up high. The dog could get dehydrated and it could be fatal.
Leash training is very important
You need to ensure that your pup or dog is leash trained. This makes it easier for you to walk your dog. If the dog gets too excitable, then she tends to tug on the leash and get choked and ends up panting uncontrollably. Not only that, if you are not able to control your dog on a leash, she is going to pull you. If she is a big dog, she could tug and cause you to fall, or to let go of the leash. And then, if she is tugging because she’s seen a cat or another dog, she could run away, get hit by a passing vehicle or even get lost. Unruly dogs who are not leash trained could strain and pull and jump on passers-by. Ideally, if you have a big dog, you need a harness; it is much easier to control the dog on a harness. Never, ever use a choke chain. It’s downright cruel.
What you need to do is to train your dog from when she is a puppy to walk on the leash. Check out videos of leash training. Your dog should never pull you. Teach her to walk by your side; there will be no pulling, tugging, panting or unruly behaviour then!