As you know, Arizonans are just now emerging from their cocoon of heat and entering the time of year that justifies our unbearable summers. This makes Walk your dog week sort of an annual celebration for us.
Exercise is important – for you and your dogs. “Over 55% of Americans say their dogs get less than 45 minutes of physical exercise a day,” according to Rover.com’s latest survey. This is not nearly enough and it quite frankly explains the behavioral problems so many people experience.
Dogs need to run, play, walk and interact to have a fulfilling life. Take away that physical activity and you’re left with a depressed dog with a lot of time and unreleased energy on his paws.
I want to share an archery story with you (it’s pertinent – just bear with me).
Long ago, when I was buying my first bow, I stood in the shop and drew the string back, then released it without an arrow nocked. It nearly snapped the bow in half and almost took my head off.
At the time, I didn’t know that the bow was reliant on the arrow to direct thousands of pounds of energy. All of that energy is coiled and drawn with no place to go. Release that string with no way to direct the energy, and the bow self-destructs.
The same idea can be applied to a dog when he doesn’t have enough exercise. All of that energy has to go somewhere. If you’re not finding a healthy, directed release for that energy, it eventually gets funneled into destroying plants, eating walls, barking for no reason, and most of the time, aggression. The dog is like the bow without the arrow – it essentially self-destructs with excess energy.
This is why your dog barks, why that chained up dog is so aggressive. You haven’t given the dog an opportunity to release the energy, so she finds her own outlet.
[load_module id=”210″]Rover.com recently launched their recent “Rover Trends Report,” which uncovered interesting data on how people are working out with their pets:
- 64% of dog owners believe they’re more likely to stick to their dog’s exercise routine than their own
- 55% say their dog gets less than 45 minutes of physical exercise each day
- 91% of U.S. dog owners feel certain they would know if their dog was overweight
- 93% of dog owners believe one of the best ways to de-stress is by taking their dog for a walk.
- 83% of dog owners have met someone while walking their dog
If you don’t do it for your dog, do it for you. If you don’t do it for you, do it for your dog.
[heading style=”1″ color=”#996633″ style_color=”#996633″]Raise Funds for Rescue By Walking[/heading]I just want to remind there are some great apps you can use to raise funds for rescue while you walk. You can even choose your own rescues! We like Using the ResQWalk App to Raise Funds for Animals.
If you’re not sure How to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Leash, we can help refer some great trainers. If you want to start keep tracking how much activity your dog really gets in a day, pick up an Hachiko Activity Tracker and see how you can help improve your pet’s physical activity.
Remember, you need exercise as much as your dog! Walk Your Dog Month is Every Month.
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