January Is Dog Walking Month (Well everyday is) Here's what you need to know!

As Dog Parents we walk our dogs every day! 

But, did you know that January is National Walk Your Dog Month? Well, it is! 

And the perfect resolution this year is to exercise by walking! Walking your dog is great for you and for them. And at Joyride Harness, we'd like to think we know thing or two about walking dogs. After all, we do make the best, safest harness on the market. (It's even vet-approved!) so here's our some walking tips for you! 

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff 

There's no such thing as the perfect walk. Every dog is different.  An active dog might want to run, while an older dog might want to take a slower walk. So don't worry about it! Instead, focus on making your dog's walks fun!

See, walking your dog has a ton of benefits- for both of you! When you take your dog for a walk, here are some of the benefits

• Physical exercise
• Stress reduction
• Social interaction
• Routine and discipline
• Increased Vitamin D intake

Your dog also gets some major benefits. which includes:

• Physical exercise (just like you!)
• Mental stimulation
• Bonding time
• Behavioral improvement
• Reduced anxiety
• Socialization

You don't have to hit that 10K steps every time. So go ahead, start slow and get outside!

Practice Makes Perfect

You can't expect your dog to know how to walk on a leash politely without any work. You need to train them so that they know what to expect.

If you are raising a puppy, you'll have to teach them how to walk on a leash. If you adopt an older dog from a shelter, it's likely that the shelter will have taught them basic leash manners. Practice walking in the house or your backyard before you go out for longer walks. 

Socialization is also important before taking your dog on a walk. You don't want your pup to get scared if they see another dog or something new, like a bike or scooter. Exposing your dog to new things is important for their wellbeing. This will help them enjoy walks much more.

Know Your Leash Laws

In many places, it is the law that your dog must be on a leash. You should always obey leash laws. And even if off-leash walking is allowed, you should be careful. Off-leash dogs can disturb wildlife, other dogs, and other people. And it isn't always safe for your dog to be off their leash. If they get startled, they might run away. Or worse, they might run into the street, where there's traffic. 

Pace Those Paws!

If you have a puppy, don't expect that they can walk for miles and miles. They're still growing! In fact, you shouldn't actually walk a puppy until they're at least eight weeks old. By eight weeks, their bones and muscles are developed enough to exercise a little bit. And at eight weeks, they should have enough vaccinations to be around other dogs. 

And while you can walk a dog at eight weeks, running comes much later. Running is more stressful to a dog's bones and muscles than walking. So if you want your dog to be a running buddy, you need to wait a little bit. How long? According to Dr. Andrew Spanner, small breed dogs can begin running with you at 9 months old. Medium breeds should wait until they're 10-11 months old. Big dogs should wait to run until they're 12-14 months old. And giant breeds can start running around 18-24 months. 

Wear a Harness

You need to clip your dog's leash to something... and that something should be a harness. Harnesses are so much safer for dogs than collars. A good harness is escape-proof, unlike a collar. And a harness, especially a harness with a handle, makes it easier to pull your pup to safety if they get into trouble.

A harness can also help prevent pulling. Pulling isn't just annoying for you; it can actually hurt your dog. If your dog wears a collar and pulls as they walk, it can cause damage to their neck and throat. This is why vets say dogs should wear harnesses!

If you're looking for a harness for your dog, the Joyride Harness will be the perfect fit. Our harness fits all breeds and sizes of dog, and has a ton of amazing safety features. And most importantly, dogs and pet parents love it. Find out how much people love our harness when you read our reviews!