Why Daily Walks are a Great Way to Bond with Your Dog

by Dr. Margit Gabriele Muller

Walking time is bonding time! Creating a strong bond with your dog is vital for a healthy and loving, mutual relationship between you and your dog. One of the best ways to create such a profound bond is the daily walks. Let’s have a closer look at the benefits.

Bonding with your dog is a give and take. Walking in different environments and situations helps you to understand your dog better. You can see when he is happy, unsure, worried, scared, or simply wants to escape from a situation. By observing his body language, you learn a great deal about him, especially when looking at his ears and tail. Understanding non-verbal communication and body language is the key for a strong bond between you.

During daily walks, your dog learns to react to you in a much better way as you interact closely with your dog. Some dogs are a bit shy and afraid when they experience unfamiliar situations. They need you to protect them and show them the way forward. Through walks, you give your canine friend the support he needs to feel more secure. Once you understand his emotions and feelings, you can calm him down and let him understand that you are there for him. His affection and bond to you increase by knowing that you are there to protect, support, and keep him safe in all circumstances. This leads to establishing profound trust and a positive change in your relationship. The better you understand your pooch, the more profound and unbreakable the bond between you and your canine companion will become.

No daily walk is ever be the same. It’s a highlight of the day to look forward to – for both of you. Daily dog walks are the best remedy to combat loneliness, unhappiness, and stress. Socializing with other dogs and their dog parents reduces social isolation as people with dogs are more endeared to communicate with other dog parents. This shows both you and your dog that you are a great team that can trust and rely on each other.

Strong mental health is vital for you and your dog’s bond. So, bring excitement to your walks! They are the perfect time for quality playtime and a great way to escape from routine and boredom! This creates new experiences and brings new sights that stimulate both your brains – and creates beautiful lasting memories. Doing something different on each walk keeps that stimulation high and makes the daily walks more interesting. One-to-one time with your furry friend works wonders for the human-canine bond. Even a few minutes of fun playing or going another route will do the trick – and your dog will love you even more because it’s you who give him those delights

Daily walks are the best time of the day to talk to your dog and to establish a clear leadership structure. Dogs live in a well-structured hierarchical order in their dog packs. They need a clear understanding of who is the leader. That’s you – and you are alone. Your canine companion will love you even more if this relationship is followed through on daily walks. By learning to walk properly on a leash, not be sniffing around and to concentrate on you, to follow your pace and direction and to heel, your pooch learns to focus attentively on you and to expect your commands. He accepts your leadership position which helps both of you to bond even more. In turn, you should him the motivation and praise he deserves when he is does something well. Through this kind of positive reinforcement, your dog will understand what you want from him. It helps to establish correct social behavior with people and other dogs. This is necessary for dogs and benefits your daily life with your dog in a great way. It’s definitely a blessing when there are no hierarchical fights at home, no growling when you remove his favorite toy or chewing bone, and no unpleasant humping behavior. Dogs love to please their leaders, so let him understand what he should do to please you and reward him when he does it well. This is another step in creating a deep-rooted bond between you and your dog.

All the benefits of daily walks can be even achieved by just short 15-20 minutes daily, although walking your dog twice per day for up to 1 hour is ideal. So, what’s the wait – take the leash and go out for a walk with your best friend!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  
Dr. Margit Gabriele Muller is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with a doctorate in falcon medicine and more than twenty-five years of experience. She is a sought-after speaker and Certified Life Coach, NLP Master. 

Your Pet, Your Pill: 101 Inspirational Stories About How Pets Lead You to A Happy, Healthy and Successful Life by Dr Margit Gabriele Muller, out now, available on Amazon.