Dogs are our best friends, they are loyal, enthusiastic, and lively, bringing endless joy to our lives. But, you know what? When taking dogs out for a walk, some of our inadvertent behaviors may cause harm to their health. Today, let's talk about those seemingly ordinary ways of "walking the dog", what are their hidden dangers, and how can we avoid them?
1. Walking the dog for too long.
Some owners especially like to take their dogs for long walks and feel that this is good for their dogs' health. However, walking your dog for too long may cause your dog to become overtired and even cause muscle strain. Therefore, it is very important to control the time of walking your dog every day. Generally speaking, 20-30 minutes of walking time per day is sufficient for small dogs, while 40-60 minutes can be appropriately extended for large dogs.
2. Let the dog run freely.
Many owners like to let their dogs run and play freely in the park and on the grass. However, this method can be potentially harmful to your dog's health. If a dog comes into contact with other animals or people without the supervision of its owner, it can lead to unnecessary fights or accidental injuries. Therefore, when walking the dog, it is best to use a leash and always pay attention to the dog's behavior and dynamics.
3. Not paying attention to weather changes.
Weather changes also have a big impact on your dog's health. Walking your dog in extreme weather, such as high temperatures, heavy rain, high winds, etc., can pose a threat to your dog's health. For example, high temperatures can cause heat stroke in dogs, and heavy rains can cause dogs to catch colds or illnesses. Therefore, when choosing a time to walk your dog, you must pay attention to the weather forecast and avoid taking your dog out in bad weather.
4. Ignore the dog's comfort.
Different dogs have different personalities and preferences, with some preferring a lively crowd while others prefer a quiet environment. If the owner takes the dog for a walk in an unfamiliar or uncomfortable place without taking them into account, it may make them nervous and anxious. In the long run, this emotion can have a negative impact on your dog's mental health. Therefore, when choosing a place to walk the dog, the owner should fully consider the dog's preferences and comfort.
5. Failure to pay attention to cleanliness and hygiene.
When walking the dog, we should also pay attention to environmental hygiene. In some places, there may be pollutants, poisonous plants, and other substances that are harmful to dogs. If left unchecked, dogs can accidentally ingest toxic substances or get other injuries. Therefore, when walking the dog, we should try to avoid taking the dog to these places, and at the same time, we should also clean up the dog's feces in time to keep the environment clean and tidy.
6. Do not carry out necessary training and guidance.
Last but not least, we need to train and guide our dogs as necessary. Some dogs may be aggressive or fearful of other animals or people, which can hurt not only themselves but others as well. Therefore, when walking the dog, we must let the dog learn the correct behavior norms through training and guidance, such as not chasing at will, not barking at will, etc. This will not only protect the dog itself, but also the safety of others.
From the above points, we can see that "walking the dog" is not a simple thing. As owners, we should pay more attention to the health and well-being of our dogs. When taking the dog out for a walk, we must avoid the above behaviors that hurt the dog, so that they can grow up healthy and happy. At the same time, it is important to understand that dogs of different breeds, ages and health conditions have different needs for exercise and care. Only in this way can we truly care for our dogs and live in harmony with them!