Letting Fido check his pee-mail is part of the fun

By Dr. Beth Leermakers

Is “improve fitness” one of your new year’s resolutions? If so, you’re not alone. It was the second most popular resolution, endorsed by 39 percent of respondents to a recent Forbes Health survey. This year, why not enlist your dog as your walking/running partner? 

Walking has many benefit for dogs, including mental stimulation, weight management and cardiovascular fitness. In my work-from-home world, the most important reason to walk my dogs every morning is to take the edge off their energy. After their 30 to 45 minute walk, the dogs sleep for several hours, allowing me to work in peace. 

Dog Walking Guidelines

Walk every day. Veterinarians recommend 30 to 120 minutes of daily exercise for dogs, depending on their age and breed. If you’re thinking: “I have a fenced backyard. My dog gets plenty of exercise,” that may not be the case. My big dogs may chase each other — or a brave squirrel — for a few minutes, but they don’t get 30 minutes of activity in the yard. If you and your dog haven’t been walking recently, start with 10 minutes per day and build up slowly. 

Use the free WoofTrax app to track your time and distance. WoofTrax donates money to your favorite animal shelter or rescue group (at no cost to you) every time you walk or run (with or without your dog). Sign up for special challenges to increase the impact. Right now, every walk I log earns a dose of heartworm/flea/tick prevention for a shelter dog in need. This is the easiest, least expensive way to support shelter/rescue dogs.  

Let your dog sniff. Let Bella smell the roses (and bushes and signposts). Sniffing — the primary way dogs “see” their world — is very important for dogs, who have 300 million olfactory receptors (compared to 5 million for people). Sniffing decreases dogs’ heart rate, suggesting that it has a calming, self-soothing effect on them. Sniffing releases dopamine, the feel-good hormone, and reduces stress levels. Besides, it’s their walk. If you’re not getting your heart rate up enough, drop your dog off at home and do another, faster lap. 

Stay aware of your surroundings. If you wear headphones, be sure the volume isn’t so loud that you can’t hear approaching cars or the “On your left” warning from passing bicyclists. 

Suit up your dog properly. At a bare minimum, you need a secure collar and leash to keep your dog safe — and obey the leash law. 

Secure collar with an ID tag. If you’re not using a harness, I recommend a martingale collar that makes it impossible for your dog to slip out of her collar. Choose a reflective collar for better visibility when walking in the dark. 

Five or six foot leash. Do NOT use a retractable leash. It is impossible to control your dog when he’s 10 feet away from you. And it’s easy for people or other dogs to get tangled in that long cord (It hurts!).  

No pull harness. If your dog tends to pull when walking, you need a harness that is specially designed to reduce pulling. With no pull harnesses, the leash attaches to a ring at the dog’s chest. When the dog pulls, the harness puts pressure behind the dog’s legs. My dogs wear the Sense-ation No-Pull Harness (by Softouch Concepts; available through Amazon) or the PetSafe Easy Walk No-Pull Harness (available at PetSmart and other pet stores). 

Winter coat. My short-haired and senior dogs wear coats on the chilliest days. I prefer Velcro straps that fasten at the chest and belly. When my dogs are excited to go on their w-a-l-k-s, putting their dancing feet through two holes in a sweater or jacket just isn’t happening. My favorite brands are 32 Degrees (for lighter weight fleece and puffer vests and a cute rain coat) and WeatherBeeta (a company that makes horse blankets). The WeatherBeeta coat is waterproof, has Velcro straps, and keeps my pups toasty warm when it’s 20-30 degrees. 

Winter Walking Gear 

for People

Headlamp. Wearing a headlamp is much easier than juggling my phone flashlight, two dog(s) and a poop bag. 

Warm clothes. I walk my personal and foster dogs every day, unless the sidewalks and streets are icy. When I’m walking for two hours (four shifts) on chilly or wet mornings, I need a few essentials to keep me comfortable from head to toes. On the coldest mornings, I’m bundled up like the boy in “A Christmas Story.” If I fall over, I’m not sure I could stand up. In addition to a long, down parka with big pockets, here’s what I wear:

Trapper hat. When I tie the hat under my chin, my ears stay securely covered. I don’t have to re-adjust my hat. 

Scarf. A friend gave me a Minky Couture scarf last Christmas, and it was the best gift ever. So soft and warm.  

Gloves. Touchscreen gloves that let me play games on my phone while I walk are a bonus.  

Fleece-lined sweatpants. All I can say is “ahhh.” On wicked cold days, I add thermal underwear to the mix.  

Waterproof boots. These come in handy when I have to step into the wet grass to put more distance between my reactive dog and the other people/dogs on the trail. 

I’m hardly a vision of loveliness, but my inclement weather gear gets the job done. I’m warm and dry, and I don’t have any excuses to skip walking. 

Happy New Year!