Labrador Retriever Dogs Blog

The bottom line is your dog needs exercise no matter what breed they are. Some need to get a bit more each day that others. A labrador retriever needs to get a good walk in each day. An exercised labrador retriever is a good labrador retriever. If you aren't much of a walker the first thing to keep in mind you are doing you and your dog a big favour by getting you both some daily exercise. If you find it hard to get out and about each day maybe look at some ipods or other mp3 players. They are pretty inexpensive these days and adding some music to your routine can be a nice addition to your walk. It take my sirius radio to make my walk go a little better. Just make sure you don't have the tunes cranked up too loud. Since you have your dog with you, you always want to make sure what is going on around the both of you.

Is everybody finally starting to enjoy the nice spring weather? It finally looks like the rains are going to subside and we are getting some great sunny days. If you haven't taken part in the daily walking of your dog it's a great time to start so you both get some exercise. It's nice to use the old elliptical all winter and on rainy days but trust me once you get out in your neighbourhood walking your dog you will enjoy it to no end. It's a great way to get some exercise, a nice way to see your neighbourhood and an excellent way to bond with your furry best friend. My wife is the one who normally walks Cooper every day but as of late I have been tagging along and it's a nice mental health holiday to just take a short walk around the block or in our local park.

Just as we always do when we are walking the dog we put him on his leash, grab some carrots and then make sure we take our ipods with us. This is our usual routine. I was watching out our front window tonight and saw a dog out on the main street from ours wandering loose. I began thinking about what would happen if we were walking alone with our music in our ears full blast.

You have to be aware of your surroundings when walking your dog, for the saftey of both of you. I have been trying just having one ear piece in when walking around more busy areas so I can hear what is happening.

I noticed something the other day while reading through the labrador retriever forums. There are many posts about how to properly walk a dog, how to keep your dog obedient and what proper leashes and collars to use. There is never any advince on how to keep you the dog walker comfortable and properly equiped for the walk. Taking your dog for a walk is important exercise for you as it is your furry friend but you have to be prepared.

Make sure you invest in a decent set of walking shoes. There is nothing more uncomfortable then having to walk in pair of boots or shoes that aren't made for long walks. I was looking at a website the other day that was selling MBT shoes and they look really nice. Depending where you are you might need a good pair of hiking boots.

Plan for the weather. My other half got caught in a rainstorm recently and she wasn't prepared. If it looks like rain take a rain coat or umbrella. Make sure you wear clothes suitable for the weather or you can even take a back pack with a sweater or skull cap.

Take water with your. I hate being a long way from my house and needing a drink of water. We recently purchased stainless steel mugs for carrying water. No plastic and we are saving money by filling them with our filtered water.

There are small things too. I always remember to take a house key, my cell phone, id and a small amount of money just in case. Especially if you are going on a long walk. You never know when something could happen. It's better to be safe then sorry.

I came across this article in a pack I downloaded and thought it might interest those that are looking for some dog walking tips. Some are common sense reminders of things to consider when walking your dog.

1. Usually, in crowded places we will keep him in a leash, to always have him under control. So he will have to know how to walk in a leash, near your foot, without pulling.

2. The dog is not allowed to jump on people or animals met or to attack any of those, as long as he isn’t aggressed.

3. The dog shouldn’t run after bicycles, motorcycles, cars or people that are running. It is know that some dogs do that because of their hunting instincts.

4. When we let the dog free, to relax, it is crucial that when he is called he return on the shortest way and as fast as possible. 

5. Wherever our dog might be, he is not to be allowed to eat food given by someone else or food found thrown around. 

7. The dog must have the initial training learned and practiced, so we would have no problems when walking him.

8. All through the walk, the dog is not to chew on his leash or to pull it with his teeth, because it might happen that he is tied somewhere alone and he will chew on it until he becomes free and gets lost.

9. The dog is not allowed to jump up and out his front paws on us or others even if he is just playing.

I was wondering when I was out for a walk the other day how many people just do the same walk over and over again. Like a routine. I like to mix it up a bit when I take old Cooper for a walk around the neighbourhood. The other day we went off the beaten path and walked past some strip malls and auto parts franchises and other stores along the way. I like the change of scenery and it makes going for walks a little more interesting for me and I am sure he doesn't mind. It gets him used to seeing different people and different sites and smells. I also use it to reaffirm our walking techniques as there are lots more people out and about when we take the commercial run.

I stopped by a friend’s house the other day and took Cooper along for the visit. My friend was doing not a lot of anything when we got there. He was looking at Leptovox ads on the internet and sulking around the house. It’s winter time and there is isn’t much to do. He was looking into ways to stay in shape and shed some pounds over the season. I invited him out for the rest of the walk and he came along. I think he enjoyed the fresh air and exercise. It really does the body and mind good. It’s amazing how a dog and a good walk can turn a persons day around.