3 Ways Walking Your Dog Benefits Your Health

If you are a dog owner, you likely take your best bud on regular walks. Believe it or not, pet health experts actually recommend at least one walk a day, if not more for particularly active breeds, like Boxers and Golden Retrievers. Of course, this is important for your pup’s well-being, as daily walks can help your pup combat obesity, and other potentially life-threatening conditions, like cardiovascular disease. Walks also help them become more social and mentally stimulated. But this isn't all about your pup; taking your dog on regular walks benefits your health, too!

Physical Health

Often the first thing that comes to mind when talking about heath is your physical health, so we'll start there, as the physical health benefits of walking your dog are plentiful. Your pooch isn't the only one getting a little workout in during your daily walks together and by following the experts' recommendations ensuring your pet gets enough exercise, you'll be keeping yourself fit, too.

A 2017 study, showed that 87% of dog owners were actually meeting or exceeding the accepted guideline for adults to "get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical exercise each week," whereas only 47% of non-dog owners were meeting those benchmarks. By walking your pup at least a few times per week, you might see improvements to your cardiovascular health, like lowering your blood pressure, and improvement to the strength of your muscles and bones. Regular walks can even help you to lose or maintain a healthy weight, adding to the already long list of physical health benefits.

Mental Health

Not only is walking your dog beneficial for your physical wellbeing, but it can work wonders for your mental health as well. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), walking offers a budget-friendly and simple way to help offset the impacts of even serious mental health conditions, like depression or schizophrenia (just FYI, we're not saying it's a cure — but it can help some folks). At its simplest, regular walks with your pup will help to decrease your stress levels and give you an escape from the chaos of your day-to-day life. One look at your pet's wagging tail and the look of pure joy as you pick up their harness and leash and you'll feel better about any bad day.

Social Health

Taking your dog for a walk is a great way to pull yourself away from screens for a while, while also spending some quality time with your pup. Plus, you get to show off that you have the world's cutest dog — shouldn't everyone in the neighborhood get to see? Not every walk has to involve a lengthy conversation or awkward small talk with the neighbors, just pop in some headphones and be on your way.

Even if you're not in the mood to be social, regular walks help your dog to become more social. Any experience around new people, animals, or other scary things outside of the backyard will further the bond you have with your dog while getting them more accustomed to following your commands while out and about.

To take full advantage of the many ways that walking your dog benefits your health, but always be sure to keep you and your pet safe along the way. Find the best leash and harness store to get the perfect products for your pup, like reflective gear, especially if you'll be walking when it's not fully light out, or a dog harness made with breathable mesh to be sure that your dog will safe from overheating on those hot summer days. A harness is especially important if your pup likes to pull or wander off. Some who have big pullers may avoid going on walks just because of that, and it doesn't have to be that way! A good harness, like one from Joyride Harness gives you more control over your dog's movements and deters them from pulling. Plus, a harness is much safer for dogs, since dogs who pull with a regular leash and collar can damage their throat.

With the right gear at hand and plenty of water to keep you both hydrated, you and your dog can both enjoy the many health benefits that come with regular walks. Whether you'd prefer a hike where the two of you get a workout in away from the world or a trip to the park for a taste of the canine social life, taking your pet on regular walks is inevitably a win for you both.