The whole premise of walking your dog is for and about them. They depend on you for quality of life which goes beyond the everyday feeding and bathroom breaks. Sadly, I feel this needs to be explained to some dog owners. Your dog(s) depend on you for exercise, mental stimulation, and socialization which in turn results in a healthy, balanced pet. It truly breaks my heart when I see people “walking” their dog(s) with their heads buried in their phone (or book-yep, seen it) not only unaware of their surroundings but unengaged with their dog and their dog’s needs during one of the most crucial parts of their daily life. Not only are these “walks” not fulfilling the pet’s needs but there are risk factors involved when the human isn’t paying attention such as:

Pet(s) eating garbage off the ground

I loved living in NYC but I don’t think I truly realized how much trash was on the ground until I moved there with my Beagle. She was a little Hoover so needless to say my eyes were constantly scanning the sidewalks on our outings. My biggest problem (besides people’s inability to use trash cans) was how quick she was. We had many battles consisting of me trying to wrestle a dirty napkin out of her mouth with little success. Ultimately no matter where you live there is always the chance of running into something unsavory on the ground which is better left out of your dog’s system. Keep your eyes peeled to give yourself a fighting chance when trying to keep your dog from ingesting god knows what.

Unwanted encounters with other animals

(both leashed and non)

I thought skunks in NYC were somewhat of an anomaly. Nope! They are everywhere! OK, maybe not everywhere, but they made pretty regular appearances on our nightly walk. My dogs have never been sprayed by a skunk (knock on wood) and I would like to keep it that way. So it was pretty imperative to keep eyes out for anything wandering around at night unattended.

Consequently you still need to be aware of moving critters even when they are leashed. Not all dogs want to meet or interact with one another when out for a walk. I speak from experience. My mutt Wrigley loves to run and play with other dogs at an off leash dog park but remains wary of dogs when on a leash. It’s best to avoid other dogs both for their and our comfort. If the same goes for you just cross the street and walk on the other side to avoid unwanted encounters. Most people understand and not to sound snarky but if they do comment negatively per you avoiding them you don’t owe anyone an explanation. You do you know is best for you and your furbaby.

Traffic

Sadly hit and runs have become a pretty regular thing here in LA. In my neighborhood I don’t dare cross the street if a car is approaching as more often than not cars don’t stop at the stop signs. I wish I understood why it’s so hard to obey this law. I’m not talking “california stop” either. I’m talking no acknowledgement whatsoever that a sign even exists. Even if this isn’t the case where you live you are ultimately responsible for the safety of you and your pet. Looking both ways before crossing the street is usually instilled in us as children and remains one of the best pieces of advice to date.

The list continues but I wanted to highlight the top three reasons I believe it necessary to keep your phone in your pocket while out walking your dog. And to be clear I am not saying not to have your phone with you. Especially for safety reasons. I used to leave mine at home when out with my dogs as I felt it freeing to have a break from it but due to an “encounter” with a stranger in the neighborhood I now have it on me at all times. It saddens me that I can’t simply go for a walk without feeling like I must have my phone on me but unfortunately that is the world we live in.

I do believe our dogs pick up on our energy (as do many animal behaviorists) which is why I wanted to broach this topic. We all have busy lives and often feel as though we are “on call” 24/7 when it comes to work, etc. but remember when it comes to your pets you are their world. Before you know it your time with them will be cut short. By carrying out this one duty “tech free” you are not only guaranteeing their safety but strengthening the bond between you and them.

Happy Walking!

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