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There are many benefits to walking your dog; open air, sun, exercise, the chance to rewind and get perspective and more. Being smart about how you walk your dog, however, is essential.
To fully experience all the good benefits this activity offers, here are three simple, effective, tips:
ONE: If your dog pulls frequently, is easily distracted or gets overly excited, use a harness to keep your dog close and under control. In our business, we see patients who have experienced injuries to their back (spine), shoulders and arms due to an absence of control.
TWO: Make sure you don’t wrap your dog’s leash around your fingers, but rather use a shaped handle such as those found on retractable leashes. When a leash gets twists around the owner’s fingers, it can cause finger fractures and hand injuries.
THREE: If your dog is hard to manage, seek out help from a dog trainer before walking him or her regularly. Hard to manage dogs tend to get under their owner’s feet. This can cause falls and sprains and is avoidable when help is sought out. This is particularly important for owners who are elderly and struggle with balance.
Protect your fingers, hands, wrists, shoulders, neck and spine and enjoy the special time you get to spend with your dog safely!