Why walks allow the emotional development of dogs

The dog is a “natural rabble” and when it goes out to explore its immediate environment “it is reading the newspaper” or “knowing the news of the day”.

Through the olfactory images, the dog perceives the activity of its congeners in the neighborhood, who passed and who was there, which loads it with information and stimulates its cognitive capacity and emotional development.

It is essential to understand that the walk is not only a hygienic walk to prevent canine needs from being deposited at home, but that it is an emotional need that takes time and that must be respected.

In the case of puppies, it is very likely that a professional will advise us not to take them out on the street as they are not protected by a complete vaccination plan. This is true and very important, since it is about your protection against physical illness.

In any case, the outings mark its maturation as a dog and above all its future relationship with its environment. That's why we can and must take him out on the street, even if he never steps on the sidewalk.

A puppy must come into contact with the variety of the outside world between 60 days and 4 months of age since that period is what is defined as sensitive period, impression or imprinting and everything it receives as a stimulus at that time will forge the character of the animal in the future.

So, how do you carry it out? You can respect the premise of not letting him walk on the sidewalk, taking him out for a walk in a car, in a “monkey”, in a dog backpack, or whatever so that he knows the environment, that other people see, that he knows what a train, a bus, cars, the street, everything that surrounds him outside the house is.

We must take the first walks very calmly and patiently since we must support him emotionally so that he is not afraid of his new reality and can assimilate it. But with his full vaccines he will be able to walk by our side and the picture will be somewhat different.

There he must learn to walk at our own pace, to socialize with the rest of the dogs, to relieve himself abroad. The animal is not going to learn all this in a single day so that it is necessary to be patient and persevering.

Until he learns all these things, it is recommended to take the animal out to the street as often as our times allow.

As a fundamental premise, all dogs must go outside with COCOBOL. COCOBOL is the mnemonic reminder that dogs do not walk loose, they do so with a collar, leash and bag, the latter to collect their fecal matter, which belongs to the dog when it is inside it and to the person responsible for the animal that is walking it when it leaves it.

Regarding the frequency with which dogs need to go for a walk, there is no exact figure but the recommended thing for them to grow up healthy and happy is between two and four times a day with a duration of between twenty minutes and half an hour each of them.

On the other hand, those who have dogs know that many of them get nervous as soon as their tutors approach the leash because they already know they are going out. The best thing is not to wear it at that time and wait until you are calm to do so rewarding that attitude with something rich that does not integrate your usual diet.

Daily walks are a great opportunity to enjoy quality time together. This time is extremely important for the development of your dog's behavior and will lay the foundation of a relationship of trust.

It is important to socialize it properly. There is a stage between two and four months, four months at most where the animal has to incorporate the link with the world around it in its different expressions.

If they go out to play in the park and there are other dogs and other people, your dog will associate them with something good, which will help make it a more sociable and less aggressive dog. Otherwise the dog will be a fearful dog, it will be a cowardly dog, it will be a dog that may attack depending on whether it considers everything a challenge.

Then play with him. Bind yourself by playing. It is the culminating moment in the life of a dog that has something called neoteny that we once talked about, which is the infant spirit throughout its life. In addition, playing stimulates the body but also the brain of your dog. Remember that a boring dog can become destructive so if he is focused on something it will be very positive for his behavior.

Playing is also a great way to learn more about your dog, see his movements, know what he likes and what he doesn't like, what makes him tired, what makes him angry. Watch it well when you play together and you can discover many new things about it.

*Prof. Dr. Juan Enrique Romero @drromerook is a veterinary physician. Specialist in University Education. Master's Degree in Psychoimmunoneuroendocrinology. Former Director of the Small Animal School Hospital (UNLPAM). University Professor at several Argentine universities. International lecturer.

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