{"id":666,"date":"2012-06-20T10:04:45","date_gmt":"2012-06-20T18:04:45","guid":{"rendered":"\/blog\/?p=666"},"modified":"2014-01-13T20:51:06","modified_gmt":"2014-01-13T20:51:06","slug":"tips-for-dog-walking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/tips-for-dog-walking","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Dog Walking"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Happy Summer Solstice!\u00a0 Today is the longest day of the year and a great time to take your dog for a walk!<\/h2>\n<h3>With Summer in full effect, it makes it easier to walk your dog more often &#8211; before and after work &#8211; while it is still light out.<\/h3>\n<p>Clear the Air would like to share some helpful <em><strong>dog walking<\/strong><\/em> tips from the ASPCA everyone should know when taking their happy pup for a walk.\u00a0 Check them out:<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s the best type of leash? \u201cUse whatever you feel most  comfortable holding,\u201d recommends the ASPCA Animal Behavior Center\u2019s  Kristen Collins, CPDT.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> Flexi-leads are best reserved for walks in the park, when it\u2019s  safe for a dog to explore a bit further away from her pet parent. They  are NOT a good idea if you\u2019re walking in an area with high foot traffic  or off-leash dogs, as the long line may get wrapped around your dog, a  person\u2019s leg or another dog.<\/li>\n<li> Many people think chain leashes look nice, but they are much  heavier than nylon or leather, and they can be very hard on the hands.  Even so, they sometimes work well for dogs who like to tug or bite the  leash. \u201cMetal doesn\u2019t feel nearly as nice in a dog\u2019s mouth,\u201d explains  Collins.<\/li>\n<li> Leather leashes are a good option because they are easiest on the hands.<\/li>\n<li> Nylon leashes can cut into hands or give a pet parent \u201cleash burn\u201d  if a dog pulls a lot or unexpectedly lunges forward. But they come in  many stylish colors and designs, and they hold up well after repeated  exposure to rain and snow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Constant pulling on the leash makes walks stressful for both of you.  \u201cIt\u2019s a common problem that can happen for a number of reasons,\u201d says  Collins.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> If your dog darts after local wildlife, it may help to walk him  when critters are less likely to be out and about; avoid dawn and dusk.  You can also check out our article Dogs Who Are Reactive on Leash.<\/li>\n<li> Try using a head halter like The Gentle Leader to walk a dog who\u2019s excitable on leash.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Our experts at the ASPCA Poison Control Center want you to keep your walks toxin-free:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> During the warmer months, it\u2019s important to keep your pet safe  from toxic lawn and garden products. Insecticides and certain types of  mulch can cause problems for our furry friends\u2014during neighborhood  strolls, please be sure to keep your pooch off the lawns of others.<\/li>\n<li> Even though popular spring bulb plants like tulips and daffodils  add much to our landscape, they can cause significant stomach problems  for our furry friends. If your pooch likes to stop and smell\u2014or  nibble\u2014the flowers, please keep him on a short leash during your walks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s great that your friendly pooch loves meeting people during  walks\u2014but not so great that she jumps up on them. \u201cThe basic idea is to  teach your dog how to sit on cue and then require her to sit to interact  with people,\u201d says Collins. \u201cNo sitting, no greeting. But if she sits,  she gets to enjoy the reward of greeting her friends.\u201d It doesn\u2019t hurt  to reward the dog with a treat\u2014or ask the person whom she\u2019s greeting to  offer a treat.<\/p>\n<p>Make sure to bring these things:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> If you\u2019re planning an extended walk, be sure to bring water for your dog\u2014especially if it\u2019s warm outside.<\/li>\n<li> Don\u2019t forget the goodies! Walks are great training opportunities.  Bring Fido\u2019s fave treats along, and practice tricks and obedience while  you\u2019re out in the world. \u201cThis will solidify your dog\u2019s skills <em>and<\/em> convince him that going on walks is fantastic fun!\u201d says Collins.<\/li>\n<li> Don\u2019t get caught without extra poop bags, particularly if you\u2019re  going on a long walk.\u00a0 (P.S. This is a great way to recycle all those  plastic grocery bags!)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Depending on the time of the year and the area of the country you  live in, sneaky critters like snakes, spiders, scorpions and bees can be  a serious concern for pet and parent alike. If you\u2019re walking in a  densely wooded area, take extra care to keep an eye out for hidden  dangers.<\/p>\n<p>Taking a walk to a dog park or other fenced-in area that\u2019s safe for  canines to romp freely? Make sure your dog is prepared for off-leash  play. \u201cYour dog must know how to come when called,\u201d says Collins, \u201cso  the most important thing to do is teach a really reliable recall.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Here are some suggestions for making walks more fun for your dog:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> Mix it up! Try taking your dog to new places. He\u2019ll love  experiencing the new sights, smells and sounds at a novel location.<\/li>\n<li> Choose fabulous destinations. If possible, walk to fun places, like friends\u2019 houses or the dog park.<\/li>\n<li> Walk with buddies. If your dog likes other dogs, consider group  walks. You can either borrow a friend\u2019s dog to accompany you, or invite  family and friends who have dogs to meet you somewhere.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Walking in humid, mosquito-friendly areas? Spray yourself, not your  pooch! Even though it\u2019s tempting to share insect repellent with your  pooch, it can be a grave mistake. Insect repellent should never be  applied to dogs, who can suffer neurological problems from the toxic  ingredient, DEET. Instead, ask your veterinarian for a suitable,  pet-specific alternative.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Happy Summer Solstice!\u00a0 Today is the longest day of the year and a great time to take your dog for a walk! With Summer in full effect, it makes it easier to walk your dog more often &#8211; before and after work &#8211; while it is still light out. Clear the Air would like to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[23,96,37,290,289,292,24,25,38,20,71,59,65,34,291],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/666"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=666"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/666\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":668,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/666\/revisions\/668"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cleartheair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}