7 Dog Health Benefits from Leash Training Your Dog
Since many of our dogs are just as overweight and out of shape as their owners, taking your dog for a walk will give him all the same fitness benefits that people get from a walking program. The fact that you care enough about your dog to want him to keep him healthy will keep you on your own exercise program, too.
In addition to the fitness benefits, walking can also improve moods, for both people and dogs. Walking causes your brain to produce more serotonin, a mood enhancing chemical. Walking also causes your brain to produce less cortisol, a stress hormone. When the brain chemicals are re-balanced this way, both you and your dog be calmer and less anxious and less stressed out.
In other words, walking regularly will make both you and your dog happier, healthier, and perhaps even more enjoyable to be around.
Since a dog's normal lifespan is so much shorter than ours, the effect of a sedentary lifestyle and too much food has an even more devastating effect on dogs than on people. The stress of excess weight and too much fat can cut a dog's life short by as much as two years, according to Marty Becker, DVM, the author of The Healing Power of Pets. Walking daily will prevent many of the more common health problem in dogs.
Regular exercise, including a daily walk, will tone your dog's muscles, improve his digestion, and make him feel happily tired. It may also boost his immune system. And it could even prolong his life, because excess weight leads to chronic illnesses in dogs, such as heart disease and diabetes. Getting regular exercise helps your dog keep his weight down, so he can stay healthy.
Once you establish a regular walking program, your dog may experience some or all the following benefits:
1. A regular walking program will help your overweight dog lose the extra pounds, which will help him feel more energetic and enthusiastic about life.
2. The weight loss could help him live longer, and the regular, gentle exercise could help reduce any pain he now feels from arthritis, hip displasia, or simple inactivity. (Remember, if your dog has any problems with his joints, or any illnesses that affect his breathing or movement, talk to his vet before beginning any exercise program.)
3. The increased fitness could reduce the chance that he will get one of the chronic diseases associated with excess weight, such as heart disease, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.
4. Your dog will look up to you as the real leader of the household, and the two of you will form a strong, natural bond.
5. Some disciplinary problems may go away on their own when your dog starts getting the exercise he really needs and when he can use his brain and creative intelligence while discovering the world outside.
6. He'll probably feel calmer, more content, and more playful because he feels better, and because his internal chemistry has adjusted to more normal levels.
7. He'll sleep better, and snore less. This may not seem like a big deal unless you've become accustomed to waking up many times in the night because your dog just can't get comfortable. Overweight dogs (like overweight people) tend to snore.
So get out and walk every day with your dog. It will make both of you happier, and healthier.
Related Tags: dog health, how to leash train your dog
Website owners, link to my easy leash training book. Earn 50%. Info at http://www.dog-trekker.com/internet-affiliate-program.htm
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Dog Barking - The Message Behind The Noise
Dogs use a wide range of noises to communicate their feelings about everything. If you have a vocal - How To House Train A Dog
The keys to successful house training are confinement, training, timing and praise. A dog does not n - Optimizing K-9 Health And Performance
Every Working Dog handler knows that "Failure to Thrive" and "Hip Dysplasia" are big issues for Shep - Training Aids for Your Special Dog
If you are one of the many dog owners of today that are having a hard time controlling your canine p - The Separation Anxiety Dog - How to Protect Your Dog From Home When You Leave Home
If you've got a dog that suffers from dog separation anxiety then you are probably afraid to leave y - Dog Life Jackets-Don't Let Your Dog Become Another Tragic Statistic
Providing easy visibility and high buoyancy, a dog life jacket or dog life vest is essential for the - Beardie Sam Goes Missing (4)
It was a freezing January morning - one when the earth truly stood hard as iron, the water like a st - What Genetic Diseases Should Goldendoodle Breeders Be Testing For In The Parents?
What genetic diseases should goldendoodle breeders be testing for in the parents?Goldendoodles are s - Benefits of Homemade Dog Food
Homemade dog food is exactly what the name implies - dog food that is made from home. There are man - Homemade Dog Food - Treat Your Dog to Recipes Fit for a King
It's just a fact - dogs enjoy people food. Dogs love to eat steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Is An Anatolian Shepherd Dog Puppy The Right Choice For Me And My Family?
The Anatolian Shepherd Dog was developed as a large dog to guard livestock. She is powerful, and rug - Dog Training Equipment
Dog training is a method of teaching your dog to perform certain activities through obeying your ord - I Am Thinking of Buying a New Puppy
When you bring home your new puppy, they are so cute and playful, jumping around and getting into ev - Your Dog And New Year's Resolutions
The New Year is a time for making resolutions, things that you want to change to make the year a bri - Chihuahuas Get a Solid "YES" Vote From Paula Abdul and Other Celebrities
She may not be able to put up with Simon Cowell and his sharp-tongued criticisms on American Idol, b - How to Raise Your Dog
So you have decided that you want a pet and have chosen a dog as the animal you would like to share - Dog Air Travel - Tips for Traveling by Airplane With Your Lovable Dog
Luckily for dog owners, these animals travel by air better than cats. If the dog is accustomed to ca - How To Keep Your Dog Free of Fleas
Fleas are more than just disgusting; they will carry several serious diseases, parasites and even we - Dog Behavior Problem: What To Do About It?
Many of us have lovely dogs, which are like a member of the family. Everyone in the family loves the - Top 5 dog behaviour training tips
Hello fellow dog trainers and people alike. Now, a lot of people have contacted me recently to ask m