Alice White
Daily walking is the most important time of the day for your four-legged friend. When walking, dogs and puppies do their business, sniff, play, and get to know their surroundings. How many minutes and how often a day the dog has to outdoors depends on the age of the animal and the breed of the dog. When going for a walk, dog owners have to pay attention to certain special features and obligations.
The Essentials in Brief
- Young dogs under nine months of age need several small rounds of exercise every day.
- For adult and large dogs, two longer laps in the fresh air a day are sufficient.
- You shouldn’t walk a puppy for more than ten minutes at a time.
The Term “Go For a Walk” and Its Meaning
The term “go for a walk” is colloquially known in connection with dogs. What is meant here is the walk to the door. Dog owners go for a walk with their darling in their own neighborhood, in the forest, or in a nearby park. The phrase “go for a walk”, which means “walk with the dog”, has been around for a long time: the citizens first used it around 200 years ago. Back then, more and more people moved together in large metropolitan areas. As a result, they often had to go outside the door with the dogs. At that time people didn’t like it at all when the dogs left their piles on the streets everywhere. As a result, the dog owners avoided walking with their four-legged companions on less-used alleys. This gave rise to the phrase “going into the alley with the dog”. This phrase persisted for many generations and became simpler over time. Today people literally only say “go for a walk”.
How Often and How Long to Go for a Walk with the Dog?
How often you have to go outside with your furry friend depends on how often he goes about his business. This can vary with age. Puppies often need to go to the bathroom every two to three hours, adult dogs only three or four times a day. Do not confuse going to the toilet with the dog’s urge to move. Small dog breeds in particular, such as the dachshund or Yorkshire terrier, have a great need to exercise.
The length of the walk is related to the age and health of the animal
The ideal length for a walk with your four-legged friend cannot be precisely measured. It depends on how old the dog is. You can use the following rule of thumb as a guide: the younger your fur nose is, the more often it wants to go out into the fresh air. The puppy should walk five or six times a day for five to ten minutes each time. For older dogs, three walks a day are sufficient: morning, noon, and evening.
Go for a Walk with the Puppy: What to Watch out for Dog Owners?
Going for a walk with the puppy is subject to its own rules. In the first few weeks, the new family member should not be overwhelmed. It is advisable to gradually increase the exercise capacity with your four-legged friend. First, start with small, ten-minute walks. You do the little laps with the dog between eight and ten times a day. Only after six months or nine months should you reduce the frequency of walks together. Then try to walk your four-legged roommate for an hour every few days. After that, the little darling needs a lot of rest to recover.
Useful Tips and Tricks for Walking Your Dog
You can make walking your pet-pleasant and varied if you implement the following tips and tricks.
Find varied routes to go for a walk
Your darling wants to let off steam while walking, sniffing, running, and exploring the surrounding area. You are doing your dog a favor by running with him on varied routes with different surfaces. Basically, routes with little traffic and soft surfaces (forests or dirt roads) are best for walking the dog. Be sure to watch out for shady routes in summer. It is important that the four-legged friend can lie down in the cool grass or jump into a lake. Otherwise, he may experience heatstroke. Don’t look at your smartphone all the time!
Dog accessories keep your four-legged friend busy
When going for a walk, certain dog accessories should not be missing. The dog toy keeps the dog busy on long walks. You don’t necessarily need whole boxes full of utensils and accessories for this. For example, hide a treat in the grass so that your furry friend looks for it. This will train the animal’s sense of smell and reward it at the same time. Another creative idea is to hide yourself in the grass. You strengthen the emotional connection between you and your four-legged friend. Alternatively, you can use food dummies that you fill with small treats and use as retrieval toys.
What Can Be Done Against Tugging the Line?
In the city, dogs usually need to be kept on a leash. It often happens that the four-legged friend pulls on the leash forcefully and persistently. This can be prevented with a few measures.
- Get your puppy used to the leash early on.
- Use a comfortable harness instead of a tight collar.
- Train the dog by stopping and only loosening the leash upon eye contact.
- Whenever your pet cooperates, praise them.
Practice running free with your four-legged friend
The dog does not only learn to walk on a leash but also to run free. Teach your darling the common commands (“at his feet” and “here”) before you carry them out without a leash. Practice these commands in a fenced area or in the garden. If you are going for a walk off the leash for the first time, you should keep it handy. Going for a walk is not fun when the dog runs away and you miss your four-legged friend.
Obligations to Go for a Walk
You alone are liable for any damage that the dog causes while walking. You should therefore take out liability insurance for your four-legged friend. When you go for a walk, you are responsible for properly disposing of dog waste in public places. Use the special dog waste bags for this. This allows the leftovers of the Wau-Wau to be hygienically removed and disposed of in the garbage.
Attention: If your dog is one of the listed dogs, you have to leash him and put a muzzle around him. Only in certain cases is it possible to prove the harmlessness of a listed dog by means of a test. If you do not comply with this rule, you risk fines or fines.
Our recommendation: Participate in dog walkers or with dogs from the animal shelter.
Go for a walk You will give your four-legged friend great pleasure if you regularly take part in so-called dog walks in your city. Here dogs get to know other conspecifics while you exchange ideas with other dog owners. But even if you don’t have your own pet, you can do something good for your four-legged friends. Many animal shelters offer walking as a job, so to speak: You can walk a dog from the animal shelter anywhere.
