What most unites a person with their dog and vice versa are daily walks, a tool that beyond strengthening the bond between pet and owner is essential so that our dog can enjoy a full state of wellness.
Walking is part of socialisation, of learning about the environment and what is even more important, of routine, a completely necessary routine for the dog. Dogs should always walk, however, in puppies and young dogs this need is even greater, as they need to channel their energy, otherwise stress and anxiety can appear very quickly.
In this AnimalWised article we show you how to walk your puppy on a leash for the first time in the most appropriate way.
What you should know before walking your puppy
Puppies, once they can be separated from their mother (generally after a month and a half of life), need specific care at home, as they are in the process of maturing their organs and systems.
Especially important is the maturation of the immune system, which will allow your body to deal with numerous infectious diseases. This stage of development and maturation plays a decisive role in the he alth of the dog, which is why we should not rush to start walks outside the home.
Before walking your puppy for the first time it will be essential:
- Have carried out a first deworming.
- That the puppy has the first mandatory vaccinations: parvovirus, hepatitis, distemper, leptospirosis, rabies and parainfluenza
The deworming and initial vaccination process usually ends at approximately 3-4 months of age and it is at this time that walks outside the home can begin, do it earlier puts our pet's life at risk.
First contact with the collar and leash
It is normal for a puppy to be frightened on the first walk, but we can reduce and shape this reaction if previously and in the home environment we have familiarized the dog with the main accessories necessary for daily walks: the collar or harness and leash.
It is easier to start by presenting the collar or harness, for this, it is very important that before putting the collar on, for example, your dog Let him smell it as you deem necessary. You should keep in mind that dogs know their surroundings mainly through smell. After this initial contact you can put the collar on at times, progressively increasing the time until the puppy feels completely comfortable with the collar and has got used to wear the same.
However, we want to remember that the harness is much more recommended to avoid the appearance of problems such as glaucoma, damage to the trachea or other he alth problems that may arise if the puppy pulls hard when learning to take a walk.
The procedure to present the leash must be similar, before placing it on the collar we must let the dog smell it and explore it, later, we can place it and let the dog get used to the sensation that it provokes him to wear it.
Once the first contact with the collar and leash has begun, we can simulate small walks inside the home, in this way In this way, the first walk outside the home will have more chances of being successful, and what is even more important, pleasant for our pet.
Do you have what you need to start your first ride?
Before getting ready to take your puppy for a walk for the first time check that you have everything you need:
- Much love for calming the puppy before leaving, it is essential that your dog is calm before starting his first walk, don't start until he shows a calm state.
- A fixed leash to better handle the puppy on his first walks, as this is more difficult with the extendable leash.
- Plastic bags to collect excrement.
- Treats for dogs that will serve as rewards for good behavior.
How to walk the puppy for the first time
The puppy's first walk will be of great importance to avoid bad habits in the future, being the behavior to avoid par excellence that the dog pulls on the leash and wants to set the pace as well as the direction. Once the dog is in a calm state, you can put the leash on it and after this open the door to leave.
When the dog has gone out after you or in a calm way, offer him a treat, this will reinforce his good behavior and later your pet will always let you go out before or to do it in an appropriate way, instead of Desperately pull towards the door. However, remember that he is a puppy on his first walk, we should not demand high-level behavior from him.
It is normal for the puppy to feel nervous on his first walk and not obey, in this case, you should stop in front of him until he stops and calms down, once he has done so, offer him again a treat, in this way, through positive reinforcement, he will learn to walk in a calm way and in harmony with you.
The other extreme of nervousness and disobedience is fear, a fear that may be normal but paralyzes and requires all understanding and patience on our part. If the puppy doesn't want to walk, don't force him to do so under any circumstances. What you should do in this case is encourage him to walk with cuddles and words in a soft and sweet tone.
These habits should be repeated on every walk until your dog has fully integrated this important part of his daily routine.
To associate the outside with the place where he needs to relieve himself, give him the first few times a treat every time he urinates or defecates during your outing.
How long should a puppy's first walks last?
Puppies have a lot of energy, but they also run down very quickly, which is why the sleep and food are the basic pillars in this first stage of life. If you want your puppy to perceive walks as something pleasant and positive, you must adapt the intensity and duration of the walk to his needs.
Puppy's first walks should not last more than 10 minutes, similarly, you can't force your dog to walk with a duration or intensity greater than its own limitations.
The socialization process on walks
When your puppy is more used to walking and you notice that he is no longer afraid or stressed, we will begin the puppy socialization process, fundamentalto avoid future fears, aggressiveness and other negative situations that may arise.
Socialization consists of introducing our dog to everything that it will have in mind in its adult life: dogs, cats, people, objects, noises, environments… The purpose is to get it used to all these stimuli so that it perceive them positively and do not react negatively to them.
If your puppy is correctly vaccinated you should not be afraid to introduce him to other dogs, let him smell urine or roll in the sand of the pipi-can. It is essential that the puppy can experience and know everything that surrounds him. Of course, all these experiences must be positive to avoid future fears.
