Owning a dog is a lot of fun, but it’s also a huge responsibility. One major aspect of responsibility that you need to keep in mind is that you are responsible for keeping your dog as healthy as possible.
And one of the best ways to do this is to walk your dog. Regularly walking your dog has many benefits for them, but it’s also great for you. However, it’s important that you know how to stay safe while doing so, and this post is here to help you with that.
Get A Harness
As much fun as it may be to let your dog off the leash, it’s not necessarily safe to do so. No matter how well-trained your dog is, anything could happen – they could get a fright and run in front of a car, or someone can steal them.
A good harness can be great for walking your dog, especially since harnesses are often more comfortable for dogs and your dog won’t be able to slip out of it as easily as they would a collar. Have a look at the best harness for dogs to see if anything catches your eye.
Train Your Dog
The better your dog is trained, the safer you both will be on walks. You need to have a dog that listens to your and respects you so that they will follow your orders if you are ever in a dangerous situation. If you don’t have a dog and you are considering getting one, you need to understand that you will need to commit a lot of time to training your dog.
Of course, there are also other things you need to do and things you need to have before getting a dog.
You Need To Be Able To Defend Yourself
Whether you are walking with a dog or not, you always need to be able to defend yourself when you are out and about.
Even if you live in a safe area, anything could happen, so it’s best to be prepared. This means that you need to boost your observation skills so that you know what’s happening around you, but it also means having tools to defend yourself in case of an attack. Pepper spray is always a good option, but you may also want to take some self-defense classes in case anyone tries to hurt you or your dog.
Be On Alert
As mentioned above, you always need to be aware of your surroundings and of what’s happening around you, but you also need to be alert for anything that could change your dog’s mood.
For example, if you see someone walking another dog and your dog isn’t socialized, it may be best to walk across the street. And if you’re walking your dog during cold weather, you need to see if the weather affects them, so that you know how to keep your dog happy during colder weather. You can learn more about how to do that here.
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