Walking your dog has many health benefits, the most obvious being that it helps manage your pet’s weight and improves joint flexibility. While I could talk on and on about the physical health benefits, I will save that for another time. This post is about the behavioral benefits walking your dog brings.
Disney+ came out last week and of course the first thing I started binge-watching was “Cesar Millian the Dog Whisperer.” After watching several episodes I noticed one common training technique that Cesar gave all dog owners: walk your dog.
According to Cesar, a tired dog is a good dog. He notes that walking your dog creates a special bonding experience for you both and reduces stress in dogs. He also noted that simply letting your dog outside to run around the backyard isn’t good enough because they need a structured walk that isn’t seen as a “play-time” but rather a calm experience that burns energy in a positive, calm way.
As a puppy, Caesar (my dog, not Millian) could have certainly benefited from frequent walks. As a young dog owner, it may be my one and only regret with raising my dogs: I wish I would have walked them sooner.
Aside from watching Caesar and Jeter become healthy weights and having improved joint health, there is two major benefits that I didn’t expect with frequently walking my dogs.
Mental Health
If your dog is being overly hyper, getting in the trash, or tearing up things around the house, consider taking them on a long walk daily.
Dogs who destroy things around the house or get into things they shouldn’t are often bored dogs. Dogs can become bored when they have too much pent-up energy or are not able to use their brains in a way that is challenging them.
On a walk, your dog smells and sees new and exciting things. They also get to socialize with other dogs and people. Seeing new people/dog, smelling new things, and going to new and interesting places is good for their minds and it stimulates their brains. This is something they can not get from their own back yard. Studies have show that dogs who go on structured walks have better mental health and can sleep better at night (not too different from humans).
Emotional Health
Dogs are pack animals and they need to bond. Since your dog likely doesn’t have a pack of other dogs, you are their pack.
Taking your dog on a walk gives you one-on-one time with him and strengthens your bond. It allows your dog to build trust with you, which is essential when living with a dog that you want to obey you and see you as a leader.
Because of my living situation I constantly have one-on-one time with one dog or another. For Jeter and I, it’s taking strolls around the farm and cuddling on the couch. For Caesar and I, it’s our walks. I never feel as connected with Caesar and I do on a long walk in the woods. Particularly, the first solo vacation we ever took together to Cuyahoga Valley National Park I remember driving home after the trip thinking to myself, “This dog is my best friend and I’ve never known anyone who understands me like he does.” That’s a pretty incredible thing to feel when you don’t even speak each other’s language.
Sure, you can build bonds in your house on the couch while watching TV, but I can tell you from first-hand experience, that there is nothing like taking a walk with your dog to really get to know them.
Ready, Get Set, Walk!
If you don’t currently walk often with your dog, make sure to take it slow at first to prevent injury. Each dog is different depending on size, age, and ability. Always remember to take into consideration the weather too!
Currently I can walk Jeter around 2 miles in the current weather (cool) to make him tire out. He’s a big boy with low drive so it doesn’t take a lot. For Caesar, I often have to walk him 4 or more miles in the fall to tire him out. On our hiking trips we go anywhere from 6-10 miles, but he is a GSD mix who has had training to be able to walk long lengths without injury.
According to Cesar Millian, taking at least 30 minutes a day to walk your dog can make them calmer and more well behaved.