This is the best time to take your dog for a walk

Can you imagine what is the best time to take your dog out?

Obviously, if you live in an apartment and you don’t have a garden, your dog should go out at least 3 times a day to let off steam. But when we talk about the best time to walk, we mean that long walk where you can explore, enjoy and socialize with other dogs and people.

Some people don’t walk their dogs 

And if you’re one of those who, if you walk with your dog, you can’t even imagine that there are people who don’t, but there are.

The lack of adherence and commitment to walking the dog is largely due to the dog’s guardians’ lack of free time and fatigue.

However, walking the dog should not be considered just a leisure activity, but also an obligation.

The best time to go out with your dog is in the morning

 It has been shown that the best time to take a proper walk with your dog is in the morning. And these are the reasons:

• It will be easier for you to create a habit : it seems that, if we do not want to fail when creating a routine, it is much more effective to start it first thing in the day, without fatigue and without excuses. Come on, it would be time to set a good alarm on the alarm clock and get up a little early to give our best friend his well-deserved walk.
• You will be preventing behavior problems related to boredom and anxiety: While you leave the house for eight hours straight, take a walk to work and chat with your colleagues at break time, your dog is at home doing nothing but waiting for you. This deprivation of their freedom can trigger problems of boredom and annoying behaviors such as rummaging through the garbage or chewing on your favorite furniture. Even worse if your dog feels lonely and doesn’t know how to deal with it, which could trigger excessive and annoying vocalizations for your neighbors, unwanted urination and defecation or the complete destruction of your sofa.
• You will avoid the appearance of stereotypes: Stereotypes are something like an obsessive-compulsive disorder in humans (OCD). They differ from normal behaviors by lacking apparent adaptive meaning. They are behaviors that do not come to mind and that the animal performs to get rid of the excess energy it has in its body and not go “crazy”. They are a consequence of the stress that causes the animal to remain locked up for so many hours. Examples of stereotyped behaviors are excessive scratching or licking, continuous barking at nothing, or tail chasing.
• You will avoid damage to their kidneys and their emotions: This reason that sometimes remains masked is very important. Your dog needs to relieve himself outside. Not only because your dog does not like to dirty his place of rest and feeding, but because, although you are amazed at the number of hours your dog endures without doing anything, if he had the chance, believe me he would do it every hour. His kidneys and bladder are put under unnecessary stress for one main reason: your dog prefers to do it outside and leave his messages for other canine colleagues, and will hold out for as long as he can to that end. If on top of that we add, that in many cases you cause malpractice when teaching him not to urinate at home based on punishment, it will make him endure the unspeakable, but emotionally he will be “fucked”.
• You will be respecting their circadian rhythms and their biological clock: Most dogs have a natural biological clock that makes them stay active in sunlight and deactivate in the dark. Light and darkness affect the basal levels of certain hormones such as cortisol, which is the hormone responsible for alertness. However, when the natural cycle of each individual is not respected, either by making them walk at times when they would like to be asleep or even by feeding them after hours, we break or force their natural activity. This could alter the cycles of certain hormones such as cortisol, resulting in behavioral problems and health disorders, related to a bad routine. Have you ever watched your dog run nervously around your living room at night as if he had been given a sirocco? 

With all this, it is clear that the best time of day to enjoy walks together is in the morning, with the song of the birds and the sunlight.

References:

Cutt, H. et al. 2008. Encouraging physical activity through dog walking: why don’t some owners walk with their dog? Preventive Medicine , 46 (2), 120-126.

Antonacopoulos, NMD, & Pychyl, TA (2014). An examination of the possible benefits for well-being arising from the social interactions that occur while dog walking. Society & Animals , 22 (5), 459-480.