Is you dog getting enough exercise?

Today I was filling in for one of my team members and had the pleasure of walking some of the dogs she normally walks. As I walked I got to thinking about the actual walk and if the dog is allowed to stop many (many, many times) is the exercise really there??? First stop of the day was to 2 older Shih Tzu's. These two walk nicely and don't pull, but they consistently try to stop and mark things and sniff around. I'm a bit torn, should I be allowing them to stop, sniff around and have their fun or an I doing them a disservice by not keeping them at a good pace? Next stop was a beagle and a rat terrier. This owner only has retractable leashes and harnesses. These dogs have no leash manners and pull, stop and try to drag me to whatever smell they want to check out. Instead of giving in I decided that since its a quiet neighborhood, I would walk them in the middle of the street. You should have seen the beagles face. She seemed quite upset that I had taken away the circus of smells. I really think these two dogs will be happier in the house the rest of the day if they are tired from a good long walk. Then it was on to 2 French bull dogs that NEVER get to go for a walk. This just brings up a multitude of questions. Are they ever walked? Why doesn't the owner want them out of the yard? Are they good on a leash? okay, so you get my point. Here I am "walking" dogs but no one seems to want to walk. They all want to take a leisurely stroll and not exert themselves. Does your dog do this to you? Do you want it to stop and actually exercise with your best friend? I know that a tired dog is a happy dog and I think we need to do something about this, so I did some research. Here is an article I found from the Today show. Great advice. Let me know if you try the advice and how it worked out Make walking by your side a positive experience. Screaming “heel” or “no pull” at your dog does not work and is certainly not fun. Instead, randomly reward your dog with a yummie treat when he’s by your side as you reinforce his behavior with the word “close.” Don’t use the phrase “good dog” — because your dog has no idea what he did that was good, so how can he repeat it? Instead, acknowledge the behavior by naming and rewarding it. Once your dog is consistently walking close to you, you can begin to give him “jackpots” — where you randomly reward him with a quick series of 5-6-7 treats, one after the other. He can always have “dinner on the go,” with you feeding him his treats along the way for walking correctly. You can also bring his favorite toy along and walk to the dog park: His reward for walking correctly, once you arrive, is that he gets to play with it and you! Keep the same length of leash at all times. To keep your dog from pulling on his leash, you must teach him that he only has a certain length of leash available and that you’re in control of it. It’s a mistake to use a retractable leash in the teaching phase, giving him a longer leash anytime he wants it. Save the retractable leash for the everyday phase of walking, once he has learned how to walk correctly by your side and not pull you down the street. When you hold the leash with your hand, it’s easy for your dog to pull away by forcing you to extend your arm. It’s also important that both your hands are free, assisting you in planting your body when he’s pulling. So wear a sturdy belt, slip the loop end of the leash around it, and fasten it snugly around your waist. As your dog walks correctly down the street with you, remember to repeat the word “walk,” reinforcing his behavior. Hold your ground when your dog pulls on the leash. When your dog begins to pull on her leash, stop, plant your feet, lower your center of gravity and hold your ground like a sumo wrestler. She must learn that the walk (what she wants) will only continue (her reward) if she is not pulling on her leash and on you. If your dog is a serious puller, start walking by a railing or fence that you can grab onto as you stop. Resume walking only after your dog stops pulling on the leash. As soon as she backs up — even a little bit — creating some slack on the leash, resume the walk with the phrase “let’s walk.” The minute she starts to pull on the leash again, you must hold your ground as before, continuing only once she backs up and creates slack on the leash. Constantly talk to and praise your dog along the way. This is a great way to keep him in tune with you and your pace. Just like a child, if you don’t pay attention to your dog, the message you give him is that he’s on his own and can do whatever he pleases. And when you ignore your dog as he’s walking correctly, and only give him attention when he’s walking incorrectly, he’ll be more prone to continue the unwanted behavior just so you’ll notice him! So stay focused on your dog during the walk and make calls on your cell phone at another time. Most dogs respond very quickly to this method, and you will find that if you and everyone that walks your dog (don’t forget about the other family members and the dog walker) are consistent, you’ll soon look forward to the fun you’ll have on your walks together.