Take a Hike (or at least a walk)!

My dogs get a walk or a run 6 days a week, almost regardless of the weather conditions - snow and cold aren't a problem, but I do draw the line at hard rain and/or thunderstorms.  When I'm getting ready to go each morning, I'm always amazed at what a big deal it is to the dogs.  You'd think, since they go so often, that it would be just their normal routine, eliciting no great response.  Not so!  If I put on my shoes and sweatshirt, and head for the door, the tails are wagging uncontrollably, and both dogs are prancing around the room like I just offered them a pound of hamburger.

Every dog I've ever had has loved going for a walk.  If you don't do anything else with your dog, teach him to sit, and take him for a walk every day.  If you do those two things, you'll likely have a happy dog that is a pleasure to be around.  Most of the common complaints about dogs can be solved - or at least minimized - by regular walks:

• Hyper-activity.  Many dogs end up in the shelter because they "just won't settle down".  They're always "in your face", begging for attention, licking or mouthing you, pacing, etc.  I have big dogs that could tend to be very active (a lab and a lab/husky mix).  Even a short walk (1/2 to 3/4 mile) in the morning is enough to settle them down.  A long 2 to 3 mile walk will have them napping most of the day.
• Chewing.  No, a walk won't completely stop a puppy from chewing.  Many dogs, however, are destructive because they're bored.  A walk, unlike time in the back yard, exposes your dog to many stimuli.  This mental activity works for the brain just like the physical activity of the walk to keep your dog satisfied most of the day.
• Barking.  All dogs will bark from time to time.  For me, I can handle a dog who barks at the mailman, or when someone comes to the door.  My dogs will sometimes bark at me if I come in the wrong door.  The thing that's hard to take is when a dog just stands in the yard and barks non-stop, at nothing in particular.  Like chewing, many dogs bark from boredom.  
• Fear or aggression.  These are often the same thing, and while a daily walk won't cure a dog of fearful or aggressive behavior, it will very likely help.  Exposure over time will tend to desensitize your dog to the triggers.  Our lab, Cassie, still reacts poorly at times to seeing strange dogs on a leash, but her behavior is much less extreme than in the past, and at times she will not react at all.  Even more important, a pup that is taken for a daily walk from a young age will not tend to have an adverse reaction to new or strange situations.
• Health issues.  If you feed your dog enough, he'll be fat (kind of like people).  Daily exercise will, however, make him - and you - more fit.  Not only will your dog live longer, he'll likelier have a happier, healthier life if you give him a walk every day.

Before you ask, playing fetch or hanging out in the back yard is not a substitute for a walk. To get all the benefits, you need to actually get off the couch, put your walking shoes on, and hit the bricks.

OK, so now you're convinced your dog should get a walk every day, right?  Now you just need to know how to do it.  Keep in mind that walking nicely on a leash is a different skill than walking at Heel.  Heel is an obedience command, and requires the dog to be in precisely the correct spot throughout the exercise.  When you're out walking with your dog, you don't need precision - you need your dog to be under control, not pulling, and not underfoot.

Small dogs need very little training to walk on a leash.  They should walk to your side, and not be underfoot.  Since they're not strong, pulling isn't a big problem, but pulling may lead them to trip you up.  Many people don't bother to train a small dog, and few even take them for a walk.  Both of those are mistakes, in my opinion.  An ill-mannered small dog is obnoxious.

It is vitally important to train large dogs, of course.  When walking, it is physically painful to be pulled constantly by a big, strong dog.  I don't feel it's necessary for a dog to walk at heel at all times, but he should recognize that you are in charge of the walk, and walk at your pace. 

Teaching your dog to walk nicely isn't hard, but you have to be more stubborn than your dog.  You also need to use an appropriate collar and leash.  I don't believe in "Flexi" leads (a long, retractable leash) for training large dogs to walk.  You may be able to safely use one after he's trained, but they're dangerous with an untrained dog.  I prefer a simple 6' lead, with a good, heavy duty snap.

For a collar, you should choose something appropriate for your dog's strength and temperment.  For many dogs, a pinch collar (also called a prong collar) is a great tool.  The pinch collar looks like some kind of midieval torture device, but it does not cause pain for the dog when used correctly.  With many dogs, the pinch collar is not needed.  You can use a snug-fitting leather or nylon collar, a choke collar, or a Martingale Collar (kind of a hybrid between a standard buckle collar and a choke collar.  The Martingale is a limited-slip collar, so it's a little safer for your dog.  Of course, the biggest safety factor for your dog is between your ears.  You've got a brain - it is your job to make sure you don't choke your dog or damage his neck using excessive force.

I'm not a fan of the "Gentle Leader" harnesses.  They are uncomfortable, and I'm concerned about the torque that can be applied to the dog's neck.  I'd rather use a pinch collar, and make sure I'm not going to injure my dog.  If you've used these and like them, that's fine.

Regardless of the type of collar you use, when you're teaching your dog to walk nicely, you need to show him that he needs to pay attention to you.  To accomplish this, just walk along and, if your dog is ignoring you, pulling, or dragging back, switch directions.  Don't tell him, just do it.  If he's pulling really hard, just stop.  You don't need to jerk the leash - the dog will provide all the force.  When he realizes you're not moving, he'll stop and look back at you.  He'll probably take a couple of steps back toward you.  As soon as he learns to pay attention to you, he won't jerk the leash.  Sometimes, when my dog is distracted, I'll walk in circles.  She has learned that when I do that, she has to keep an eye on me to avoid reaching the end of the leash.  My attitude is, "Oh, too bad you got jerked!  Too bad you weren't paying attention!"

It's easy to get lazy after you've got your dog trained.  I frequently find myself putting up with Cassie pulling a little more than she should.  Sometimes, you just need to go back and give them a little refresher course.  Once they've learned, it's easy to reinforce it again.  You'll know you've succeeded when you can't change directions and catch your dog. 

Years ago, when Charlie was new to us, I stopped home at noon to take her for a walk.  We had worked really hard at walking nice, and Charlie was doing well.  I had on my work clothes, so we were strolling slowly around the block when we passed a woman working in her yard.  As we went by, she looked at my dog walking sedately by my side and said, "Wow, that's an old dog!"  Charlie was young and healthy at the time - we had gone for a 4 or 5 mile run that morning, and she had handled that fine.  I explained to the woman that she wasn't old, just well-behaved.  I'm sure she didn't believe me.

One more thing - keep your dog on a leash!  If your dog will ALWAYS come when you call, and you're in an area away from traffic, people, and other dogs, I don't see a problem with taking your dog off the leash.  In any other circumstances, it's extremely irresponsible, not to mention illegal, to walk without a leash.  I always look at it this way:  If your dog won't stay constantly by your side during your walk, he needs to be on a leash.  If he does stay right by you the whole time, he might as well be on the leash.  It's not fair to put your dog's life in peril just so you can show off how well-trained your dog is.

I can't stress it enough.  Your dog will do almost anything for you - don't you think you can do this for him?  Put on his leash, and take a walk.  If you're not in shape, just go around the block.  He won't care, and you'll find that both of you will look forward to the next walk tomorrow.