Dog walking is both a pastime and a profession involving the act of a person walking with a dog, typically from the dog's residence and then returning. This constitutes part of the daily exercise regime needed to keep a dog healthy.[1] It also provides exercise and companionship for the walker.[2]
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In the UK, The Kennel Club conducted a survey of 1,000 dog owners and found that one in five did not walk their dogs on a daily basis.[3]
Dogs are walked with a collar around their neck, or a dog harness,[4] or by following their owner by familiarity and verbal control (where safe). Commonly the dog is walked by the owner, or another family member, but there are also professional dog walkers.[5]
While many people let their dogs walk in front of them or even pull them, this is not right. Dogs need to know that the human walking them is their pack leader and should be in front to lead the way. However, if a dog is tracking something down, it is okay for them to walk in front because they are the ones currently leading the way.
A study by Michigan State University showed that people who walk their dogs are 34% more likely to meet expected levels of exercise, with a recommended level of 150 minutes of activity such as dog walking per week. Matthew Reeves, the co-author of the study said, "There is no magic bullet in getting people to reach those benchmarks but walking a dog has a measurable impact."[6]
Professional dog walkers, both individuals and businesses, are paid by dog owners to walk their dogs for them. Some dog walkers will take many dogs for a walk at once, while others will not. [5] Also growing in popularity is dog running. Dog runners are professionals who will take your dog running, usually between 1 and 10 miles for a set fee, usually not more than 2 dogs at a time. [7] In some jurisdictions dog walking businesses must be licensed and have animal first-aid-trained employees. Professional dog walking services can be obtained locally or thorough online referral services such as Petsitting.com.[8] Dog walkers in the United States can post their services for free in places such as SkillSlate which lets customers review different services, and enables service providers to specify hours and fees and contact information.[9]
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