January is National Walk Your Dog Month!

“Ever wondered where you’d end up if you took a dog for a walk and never once pulled back on the leash?” -Robert Brault

When’s the last time you took your BFF for a long walk on the beach, or through the woods, or even through the city? Just like humans, dogs need regular exercise to enjoy optimum health.  Taking your dog on daily walks, helps keep them (and you!) limber, agile, and at a healthy weight. It also gets rid of extra energy that may otherwise come out in destructive or attention seeking behaviors, and even aids digestion in pups that tend to get constipated.

So how much exercise is enough? Though dogs of different breeds and ages have varying needs when it comes to how long or vigorously they should exercise, most dogs need at least 30 minutes to an hour of activity daily. Breeds in the hunting or herding groups need at least a half hour of rigorous exercise in addition to 1-2 hours of daily activity. Short nosed breeds, older pups, or those with health issues, are often overlooked when it comes to exercise, but that’s what they need to keep the body working, as it should. Even a short daily walk can do wonders for the health of an aging or otherwise sedentary dog.

It’s important when beginning an exercise program with your dog, to start out slowly and work your way up to longer distances, as they seem suitable. In the summer months or in warmer climates, it’s imperative to check the pavement for heat, prior to letting your pup’s paws hit it. If you can’t hold the palm of your hand or bare foot, comfortably on the surface for 10 seconds, it’s too hot for your dog. Those are days to stick to grassy areas, or walk early or late in the day to avoid injuries to their paws, or even heatstroke.

Speaking of heatstroke, the most important thing you can take on any walk with your pet is clean water. Heat & dehydration related injuries are some of the most difficult for dogs to recover from. A dog can lose all its fat & 1/2 of its protein and survive, but a loss of only 10% body water causes serious illness. Taking Highwave’s AutoDogMug on walks, gives you instant one-handed access to fresh water for your pooch. Planning a longer hike where access to water may be limited to natural sources? The AutoDogMug Pure’s filter uses UltraCeram electropositive technology, to attract and retain viruses, cysts and bacteria, to remove 99.999% of pathogens. You can learn more about our AutoDogMugs here: https://highwave.com/collections/pet-home

Happy walking!!