How to lose weight walking with your dog: recommendations and routes for walks

Dog owners will understand: you don’t always want to go for a long walk, and sometimes you don’t even want to leave the house. Rain/snow/slush/storm warning/volcano eruption – you still need to go out at least for a few minutes. You have to go to small feats for the sake of your tail (or tailless). However, as part of a special project “Census of Tails” together with experts we prove that regular walks are not only sacrifices, but also a huge benefit for the well-being of both participants. Especially if you choose a cool route.

Table of Contents

What is the right way to walk your dog?

First, in order for walks to be enjoyable, it’s important to understand their purpose. And it’s not just about the dog going to the toilet and stretching his legs (although in bad weather it is exactly that). First of all, it’s about learning how to interact with your pet and understand each other. Most of the time at home the dog is in a passive state – that’s not the way to build a proper relationship. This means that the maximum contact with the animal should be on a walk, in the game.

The norm of walks in each animal is different. For example, walking large and active dogs (husky, Samoyed husky, Labrador, Aussie, Border Collie) should last at least two hours. Dogs of small and decorative breeds (spitz, bologna, yorkie, dwarf dachshund) an hour is enough. Puppies can walk for 15 minutes, but walk them more often – 3-4 times a day. With an adult dog, it is enough to go out twice.

What is the benefit of a walk for a dog?

Daria Alyoshina

cynologist

1. Walks prevent the development of hypodynamia, provide the dog with the necessary physical activity.
2. provide communication with other dogs, and thus perform freedom of vidotypical behavior, and teach the correct use of body signals.
3. provide mental exercise and lots of information, this prevents psychological health problems and prevents boredom and destructive behavior at home.
4. Gives the opportunity to naturally manage their needs and leave tags to communicate with other dogs.

What are the benefits of a walk for the owner?

I think it is obvious that the very fact that a dog is in the house is already associated with health benefits for its owner. And this is supported by research which shows that pet owners make 15% fewer annual visits to the doctor. Another study conducted in Baltimore and Seattle proved that adults who regularly walk their dogs are less likely to be obese than their neighbors who don’t have dogs.

St. George: In addition, the American Heart Association has concluded that having pets in the home, especially dogs, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is primarily due to walking. Walking allows you to spend extra calories, reduce body fat, accumulate muscle mass, strengthen joints, reduces the risk of many diseases. The need to walk the dog forms in its owner a healthy habit of daily walking. Accordingly, such physical activity is easier to observe and it is always maintained at a sufficient level.

Daily activity allows you to look at dogs from a different angle, as an easily accessible exercise machine. But that’s not all, because walking with dogs goes far beyond exercise.

Daily walks with your dog normalize your biorhythm through habit formation and exercise, which improves sleep quality. A healthy circadian rhythm allows you to get enough sleep and relieve accumulated stress and fatigue. Quality sleep is sure to have a favorable effect on your body’s nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Walking with a dog increases not only physical, but also mental, emotional, and social health, although few people think about it. They reduce general stress levels, symptoms of depression, and anxiety. Just in the fight against depression, walks can be especially effective and completely change the course of the disease, because they encourage you to get out not only from the closed space, but also from your condition. Needless to say, you’re guaranteed to feel a surge of happiness if your dog is happy? And it’s even confirmed in studies: respondents report such positive effects.

In addition, walking with your dog will inevitably lead you to talk to other people, fostering new social contacts.

By the way, now you can find one wave not only together with your pet, but also with other pet owners all over Russia.

Media holding Rambler&Co in cooperation with the manufacturer of healthy food for cats and dogs Royal Canin decided to conduct a census of “tails” and find out with which pets Russians share their homes. Brands will count all domestic dogs and cats in the country. You will be able to find like-minded people and friends for your pets. The large-scale census is held online at the link. All those who register on the platform will receive special privileges and bonuses from Royal Canin for the purchase of food and treats for pets.

The most interesting routes for walking

All routes are outlined roughly, you can change them to your taste.

Where: Moscow

Route 1: from Nikitsky Lane (you can walk along Stroitel’s Square) walk to ITAR-TASS. Further up Malaya Bronnaya Street to Patriarch’s Ponds (unfortunately, you can’t walk with dogs in the park around the ponds, but there are some nice squares and a dog park nearby). Further back and down Nikitsky Boulevard. There is an alley in the middle of it. And if you get cold, you can warm up in the dog-friendly restaurant “John Donn”.

The length of the route is 3 km.

Route 2: we start walking from Rostovskaya embankment – there are magnificent views of the Moskva River and the City, further we go a little higher to the Maiden Field square – it’s a small and very beautiful park, where there are two dog playgrounds, further – to the Novodevichy Convent. A walk around the pond on the bridges will definitely be pleasant. And if you want to take a break, there is a FLIP coffee house nearby, where your pet will be gladly welcomed.

The length of the route is 3 km and you can walk about 2 km in the parks.

Route 3: Izmailovsky Park

Here you can just walk the whole park along and across. There is a lake, a beautiful forest and, what is especially nice, few people. The only requirement – appearance with a dog is possible only on a leash.

The length of the route is 7 km, if you walk the whole park along.

Where? St. Petersburg

Back in 2014, the city government approved a decree – dog walking on the territories of green spaces is prohibited. But the law gives two interpretations of walking with animals: walking is the fulfillment of the dog’s natural needs, walking is not limited in time, and therefore does not fall under the regulations. Nevertheless, it’s up to you to take the risk of going with your pet to a place where you might be kicked out or to choose other locations.

And we have collected the most beautiful places for walks with a four-legged dog according to the reviews of dog owners.

1. Rybatskoe

In this picturesque place there is a lawn with rare trees – it is not considered a park. The territory itself is fenced from the road, there are few people. But the views are beautiful – there are ships on the river, small villages nearby and a bridge that glows in the evenings.

2. Sosnovka

This seems to be one of the favorite parks of dog owners who live in the north of St. Petersburg. Its main advantage is its location near residential buildings. We recommend that you put a muzzle on your dog. First, people walk here with children, and the dog can inadvertently frighten someone. And secondly, they say that there have been cases of dog poisoning in this neighborhood.

3. Vasilyevsky Island

There are several organized areas for pets here. Here are three addresses:

ul. Michmanskaya, 4;
nab. Morskaya, 17;
Morskaya Embankment. Morskaya nab. 39.

In addition, Novosmolenskaya Embankment on Vasilievsky Island was landscaped. Lawns there are fenced off from the road, there is enough space on them. And there’s also a great view from the embankment.

Share your favorite routes and locations for walks with pets in the comments, let’s discover new places!