Happy Walks for Happy Dogs
It’s been a great week of walks, playing in the leaves and wrapping up warm as the wintery weather begins.
Always Learning
This week I have been learning how much activity and exercise our dogs really need. Brian is currently restricted to garden exploration (in our large, secure woodland area) whilst he settles in. He can get quickly overexcited (common with spaniel-type breeds), and it’s really important to give him opportunities to rest, teaching him how to self-regulate. Whilst it can be really tempting to use lots of exercise to try and wear dogs out, this often leads to them getting overtired, leaving them locked in an endless cycle of hyperactivity.
The fantastic Mutty Professor has written a brilliant blog post about getting your dog’s routine right, and the importance of rest. This includes a good 14-18 hours sleep each day, including an opportunity to rest for 2.5-3.5 hours after an exciting event, such as a walk.
Thought for the week – do you need to bathe your dog?
Another post about Brian! Brian HATES grooming, and like most dogs, does not like having a bath. Provided it’s safe to do so, dogs are pretty good at cleaning themselves. Here’s Brian after he’s cleaned off his knee-high muddy boots – I think he’s done a pretty good job:
It’s recommended that you bathe your dog as little as possible (Bluecross.org.uk). Extra stinky smells (yes, I’m talking about Penny’s obsession in rolling in fox poo!) can often just be wiped off with a wet wipe. A quick paw wash (if your dog consents) after a walk can make sure no grit is caught between paws, and is good practise of paw handling. For safety reasons, you should wash paws after walking on gritted pavements, but otherwise, be guided by what your dog wants.
Previous posts:
- Heather’s Happy Dogs: Weekly walk photos, muzzle training with a flowerpot, and a quiet space for the holidays.
- Heather’s Happy Dogs: Weekly walk photos, why long nails are like high heels, and give your dog some scraps.
- Heather’s Happy Dogs: Weekly walk photos, doggie emotions and the Cuddles cue.
- Heather’s Happy Dogs: Weekly walk photos, resource guarding update, and cold smells.
- Heather’s Happy Dogs: Weekly walk photos, resource guarding webinar, and dog whispers.
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