Every time you leave the house, you hear the desperate cries of your dog who longs to go outside. To that, you promise, “tomorrow,” but once tomorrow comes, you are still too busy, too tired, or just too lazy.
For those of you who are dog owners and very familiar with this scenario, research shows that you are harming your dogs’ health. According to sizetheleash.com, exercising your dogs is important for their mental health because by instinct, dogs are walkers/travelers. When we walk our dogs, we release their mental and physical energy. A lack of exercise allows for the buildup of mental energy, which contributes to behavioral problems such as hyper activity, neurotic or obsessive compulsive behaviors, and more.
With just exercise, all of these behavioral problems can be prevented! A dog that is walked will have less excess energy to cause any trouble at home. More importantly, walking your dogs can also help to shape your own health! According to research conducted at Michigan State University, dog walkers had higher overall levels of both moderate and vigorous physical activity, and were also more likely to take part in other leisure-time physical activities such as sports. On average, they also exercised about 30 minutes a week more than those who did not have dogs.
By failing to exercise our dogs, we fail to make them happy and are undeserving of our long-held titles of being a dog’s “best friends.” Stop your excuses and be a true friend to your dogs by taking them for a nice surprise visit to the dog park, a place where they can get all the exercise and playtime off the leash! For instance, at the Gano Street Park, there is plenty of open space for a nice workout and an opportunity to meet and socialize with other dogs and dog owners. Take advantage of the beautiful weather out and treat your dogs for a nice surprise that they deserve!
