When you own a dog, taking them for a walk is just something you have to do, at least twice a day. But did you know you’re probably walking your dog wrong?
That’s right. According to PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk most pet parents are making big mistakes when they walk their pooches, mainly because they rush their dogs, which does not make for a happy pet.
Newkirk says too many people simply walk their dog around the block to give them a “bathroom break,” but that’s not good enough. “It’s their walk, you know?” she tells Seattle’s Morning News. “That’s a very special occasion for a dog, to be outside and to smell and to look.” She adds, “They don’t want to be stuck in a room all day with their legs crossed, hoping to go outside. It’s more than a bathroom break, it’s an excursion.”
- Instead, Newkirk advises owners to let their dogs “sniff,” noting, “That’s their way they read the news, that’s their Internet. Don’t drag them along.” She also suggests owners get off their phone and pay attention to their pooch, plus, never walk the dog using a collar, instead go with a harness.