As you wake up in the morning, you hug your blanket a bit harder in hopes of ignoring the world. Don’t worry, we all do that. However, it’s hard to ignore the rush of paws and wagging tail that comes to your bedside. Is it even worth ignoring that?
When you leave for work everyday, you’re leaving an energetic dog at home as well. It’s important to help your dog release their excess energy before you go so that it’s not pent up all day long. This can especially be a issue if they have Separation Anxiety.
We have some tips for you below to help acclimate your dog to morning walks and make sure your dog is ready for when you have to go!
Routine Rules!
Leaving the house is always an adventure for your dog. As they step outside, there are so many different sounds, smells, sights for them to check out.
Your dog has to become acclimated to a whole new environment every time they leave. Taking them on a familiar walk around the block can help them become structured to the same environment every day so they don’t become frightened or worried by something they don’t know.
Separation Anxiety
If your dog has spent the entire summer attached to the hip with you and your family, then it will be much harder for them to adjust to the long absence of your children going back to school and you going to work.
In order to help curtail that, morning walks are definitely essential in helping them to release some of that excess energy. A longer walk will use more energy. A tired pup is a happy pup!
If you’d like to learn more about Separation Anxiety and how to help your dog adjust to being home alone, please read more in our blog here.
Restroom
Going for a morning walk also helps your puppy relieve themselves before you need to go out to avoid any accidental issues.
We’d recommend talking them out for a walk first thing in the morning before you leave and having first thing when you come back from work. If this isn’t possible for you to do, try hiring a dog walker to come in and make sure your dog gets their potty breaks!
Beat the Heat!
You’ll want to walk your dog before the day really begins to heat up. Walking them on a cool ground will help to avoid any injuries, such as accidentally burning their paw.
As a rule of paw, if you want to check whether the ground is at a safe enough temperature, put the back of your hand against the ground for seven seconds. If you’re able to keep it there the entire time, the ground is good for a walk!
Read more about how to safely walk your dog in hotter temperatures here.
Talk to Your Dog, Walk the Walk
Morning walks aren’t just for your dog, they’re great for you too! Morning walks have seen several benefits for us non-furry animals, aka humans.
Amongst the benefits are greater vitality in the morning, better mental health, deeper sleep, improved moods, and weight loss!
Try a brisk speed in the morning to raise the heart rate a little. You may enjoy it a little!
(Disclaimer: This is not medical advice from SocialDogg. To get answers for medical issues, please contact your local doctor or any medical professional.)
Conclusion
Every morning, as you struggle to wake up, your dog is already up and ready to run half-marathons with you!
In order to help them burn off some of that excess energy, you can take them on a nice morning walk. This will tire them out more and cause less issues to occur while they’re home alone.
Establishing a routine is very helpful for your dog. Every time you step outside, your dog is subjected to new sounds, smells, sights. By going through a familiar routine, your dog can quickly adjust to the environment and not be caught by surprise wherever you’re going.
Taking a walk in the morning is also beneficial for you as well. It has multiple benefits, both physical and mental.
A morning walk could improve the quality of life for you and your pup. So if your puppy wakes you up in the morning, take a walk!