The Importance Of A Daily Walk For Your Dog

By Nan Talleno

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Dogs love to walk, it's natural and it's a part of their heritage.

When you get your new dog or puppy home, make sure that the very first thing you do even before stepping inside your home with your new companion, is to first provide a nice healthy walk to get everything started in a healthy and relaxed way.

This not only sets the perfect calming and relaxed tone, but it begins to introduce a foundation of structure and exercise while at the same time introducing your dog to a new lifelong bond with you.

A daily walk is not only extremely necessary for your dog's physical health, but it's also important in your emotional connection with your dog. It's ingrained in their social order that bonding always takes place on a walk. They learn to bond with you and each other much more easily on a daily walk. In fact, when dog's first meet, it's helpful to walk them together. The walk is also extremely necessary for their psychological health as well, as it mentally challenges and stimulates their minds and introduces new scenarios, events and distractions.

Your dog needs to effectively know that you are there for him/her on the walk and that you can effectively lead them both inside and outside the home.