TALL TAILS are Happy Tails!

Dog walks are fantastic, right? We love to see Tati, Petal & Milo with tails held high and wagging as they just love their walks.  And of course, we love it just as much as they do, don't we? 

WHAT? In this weather? Yup, and Im trying to practise what I preach, honest! With snuggly hats and gloves the cold can be delightful, as can the wind. We can all protect ourselves against the rain too. It's only water, after all

Shall we just stick the dogs outside, let them self-exercise? Not quite in the spirit of the thing, that. Our gardens at home don’t always provide all the sensory stimulation needed to in order to do what their breed instinct tells them to do and they don’t always exercise enough on their own. Don't know about you, but I have a lazy one here! We can make our gardens and homes more exciting; we will cover that in a future post.

So whatever the weather, get out in the fresh air and get walking, or even running, with your dog. My pace is more of a stumble, but it raises the pulse, does the job and I don't care what I look like.

“Taking the dog out” is great for the soul, bringing a sense of calm and peace with space to breathe, and never has it been more important than now, with the "C-word" still ruling our lives. It doesn’t matter whether it’s out in the countryside, on the beach, at a local park or even just wandering the streets near home. Getting outdoors is the main thing; to have a real good sniff, maybe socialise with other dogs with a chance for play and even do some training too which will help strengthen the bond with your dog.  

Not only do our dogs need to relieve themselves and get some exercise, but they also need time to stop and smell as dogs learn about the world around them through their noses.  It's not just about running or chasing until they drop. Flicky sticks have their place, though I'm not a fan myself. Regular mental and physical exercise is essential regardless of size, breed, gender or age to keep them healthy too - helping prevent weight-gain and holding at bay degenerative joint diseases in older dogs. Same goes for us!

So grab a lead, whistle up the pup, and go for a walk—today and every day!  As dog owners we have a built in way to jumpstart or upgrade to a more a healthy life.  Our dogs are the perfect personal trainers; always enthusiastic, motivated and never skipping a 'workout' because the weather’s bad or they have something else to do!  To help, why not pin a calendar on the fridge, mark up a schedule for each day and add a sticker for every walk completed. 

As for our mental health, of course dog walking is great for a little social life too as we stop for a brief, appropriately distanced “hi” to other dogs and their owners, even..no, especially now; its more important than ever!