1) Socialization

• Socialization is one of the top reasons why dog owners decide to sign there dogs up for group walks.
• Your dog will be able to socialize with dogs of different breeds, gender, and sizes.
• It is important for puppies to socialize and have positive experiences with all different types of dogs when they are young so that they understand that new and different does not mean bad and scary. Socializing dogs as puppies helps to prevent behavioural issues that may develop as they grow older. A well socialized dog is a confident dog and a dog that will enjoy new people, places and animals throughout his or her life and less likely to be fearful or act aggressively out of fear.
• Your dog will make new dog friends and will enjoy spending time socializing with them.

2) Learning Good Behaviours From Other Dogs

• Dogs can pick up on good behaviour from other dogs.
• If other dogs in the group are walking on a loose leash close beside the dog walker, sitting for the dog walker or running back to the dog walker when they are called and are rewarded for it then your dog will learn that if he does that behaviour he too will be rewarded for it and will be more likely to perform that behaviour.

3) Group Walks are Fun!

• Most dogs enjoy the company of other dogs and playing with other dogs.
• Signing your dog up for group walks allows him or her to have regularly scheduled play dates with his or her friends. Your dog will love you for it and be a happier, well behaved dog for you in return.

4) Lots of Exercise

• Dogs tend to run around and play more when they are with other dogs. Your dog will be getting a ton of exercise on a group walk.
• Lots of exercise makes for a tired dog who will sleep when left alone the rest of the day. Your dog is less likely to be destructive out of boredom.

5) Under the Care of a Professional Dog Walker

• If you sign your dog up for group walks with a Professional Certified Dog Walker then you know
  that your dog walker will have education in pet first aid, canine communication, dog walking safety and experience with dog walking in general.
• Your dog will be put in a group with other compatible friendly dogs and socializing with dogs that have all their vaccinations.
• You will have piece of mind knowing that your dog will be well cared for when socializing with other dogs.
• Your dog walker will do all they can to keep your dog safe.

6) Experience New Sights and Smells

• Your dog will be taken to parks or trails that you may not normally take them to so he or she will get to experience new places and sniff lots of new smells.
• Experiencing a variety of different sights, sounds, smells and situations is also an important part of socializing a puppy.

As you can see there are lots of wonderful reasons for a dog to join group walks. Good Heels Dog Walking Services provides group walks in small groups of 2-4 dogs. If you are unsure if your dog would be a good candidate for group walks contact us to discuss your dog and schedule a meet and greet. More information on our services can be found on our homepage.

The post 6 Reasons to Sign Your Dog up for Group Walks appeared first on Good Heels Dog Walking.

Physical Health Benefits

• Taking your dog on regular walks will help to prevent obesity. Most dogs love to eat and without the appropriate burning of calories, food can turn into extra pounds. Extra pounds on your dog puts them at risk for health issues such as diabetes, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, liver disease etc.
• Regular walks help to improve your dog’s joint health. Exercise helps to build stronger muscles and bones. This will improve joint stability.
• Walking your dog will improve his digestive health and aid in relieving constipation.

Mental Health Benefits

• Walking will help to keep your dog mentally stimulated to prevent boredom.
• Dogs are trained how to walk well on a leash. They are constantly being mentally stimulated to perform good behaviour, such as loose leash walking or heeling, in the chance that they will be rewarded with a treat.
• Dogs love to go on walks, sniff and explore around outdoors. Walks make most dogs very happy!

Behavioural Benefits

• Regular walks can help reduce or eliminate any of your pet’s destructive chewing, digging, or scratching by giving them something else to do to relieve their boredom.
• Regular walks can help to alleviate extra energy your dog may have thereby reducing any hyperactivity, excitability, and even nighttime activity. Your dog will be more relaxed and tired at bedtime especially if he has had a nice long evening walk.
• Behaviours such as jumping on people and all over the furniture can be a sign of pent up energy. Regular walks will help to stop these behaviours from occurring as your dog will be able to expel his energy in a positive way through exercise.

Socialization Opportunities

• Depending where you chose to walk your dog, you may encounter lots of opportunities for socialization. He will likely see and meet lots of different people, dogs and other animals.
• Walking your dog early on when he is a puppy is very important and may help to prevent behavioural issues as he grows up. Under-socialized puppies often become fearful, shy, unconfident, anxious, unhappy, unstable and sometimes even fear-aggressive.

Improved Bond Between Dog and Owner

• Walking your dog regularly helps to improve the bond you have with him. He will love you for taking him on the walk and both of you will enjoy the time you spend together.
• Your dog will likely whine at you to play at home less often if he is exercised by going on walks more often. You will therefore be a lot more happier with him and want to reward him for being a good dog.
• Walking strengthens the trust and respect your dog has for you (the owner) which will strengthen the bond between you and your dog.

Now that you know the reasons why you should walk your dog, get out there and give your dog a nice long walk to show him how much you care for him!

Safety is just as important as the health benefits that walking provides your dog so make sure you have all the correct equipment before you head out on your walk by reading one of our other blogs 8 Dog Walking Equipment Essentials.

The post The Importance of Walking Your Dog appeared first on Good Heels Dog Walking.

Ways to Prepare Your Dog for the Dog Park:

Know your Dog

• Understand how dogs communicate through body language. You need to have a good understanding of how your dog and other dogs signal that they are happy, playful, stressed, fearful or angry.
• Know what types of dogs your dog gets along with, is happy around or stressed around. If you have a small dog they may be fearful of larger dogs so be aware of this and avoid parks that do not have a separate small dog area.
• Know if your dog is stressful around a group of dogs.
• Know how your dog reacts around people touching him. At the dog park there may be lots of people trying to pat your dog and if he doesn’t like it or needs time to build up people’s trust before they can touch him then you need to be aware of this and be ready to tell people not to pat your dog or you should avoid the dog park as to not have a stressful situation occur.
• Be aware if your dog has any fears of specific types of people.
• Not all dogs like socializing with other dogs. It is important that your dog is friendly and likes socializing with other dogs if they are going to the dog park.

Make sure your dog has a valid city license and ID tag

• Your dog must wear a city license on his or her collar as per city regulations.
• City employees often check parks to make sure all dogs have a valid license.
• This is also useful for identification and return home if your dog runs away or is lost.

 Make sure your dog is up to date on all vaccinations

• For new puppies they must be finished their full course of puppy vaccinations before attending a dog park.
• For any other dog make sure he or she is up to date on all vaccinations as recommended by your vet.
• If your dog is very young, recently ill or malnourished be sure to consult a vet prior to going to the dog park even after vaccinations as they may need to build an immunity.
• Your dog should be on flea medications.

Make sure you train your dog on basic obedience or seek help from a trainer

• Your dog should know and follow at least basic cues of sit, down, stay, come, off and leave it.
• Knowing basic obedience is important when a dog is off-leash so you are able to call them away from any dangerous or stressful situations.
• Do not go to a dog park unless you are confident you have control over your dog’s behaviours.

Socialize your dog with other dogs and humans

• If your dog is a new puppy and not socialized yet with other humans don’t make your dog park visit his or her first experience. Plan visits with people you know of both sexes, different sizes, different races, people in specific clothing, with certain objects such as umbrellas so that they are comfortable around anyone who may be in the park.
• Do not make the dog park your dog’s first interaction with other dogs either. Plan play dates with other dogs or sign your dog up for puppy socialization classes which are also great for teaching your dog proper play behaviour.

Know what appropriate and inappropriate play styles look like

• You need to know what appropriate and inappropriate play looks like so that if your dog is playing inappropriately or if another dog is playing inappropriately with your dog you can stop play.
• Proper play styles include: lateral movements, giving plenty of space, no body slamming, no biting of the neck or back of legs.
• Improper play styles include: dog always on top, humping, space invader, antagonizing of another dog, pinning, multiple dogs picking on one dog, excessive neck biting
• Signals that may result in a fight: nose to nose sniffing longer than 2 seconds, circling, mounting, multiple dogs approaching one dog.

Learn what to do incase of a fight

• Be aware of signs of stress and aggression in dogs.
• Know how to avoid a fight.
• Know what to do when a fight occurs.
• If a fight occurs: yell “hey” at the top of your lungs, clap your hands, throw water on the dogs, pull out the back legs of the instigator dog if the dogs do not stop fighting.
• DO NOT throw your hands in and grab a collar.

Get your dog used to other dogs in the neighbourhood

• Walk your dog regularly around the neighbourhood to meet other dogs. Take note of how he or she reacts to different breeds, sizes or sex of dogs. This will give you an idea of what types of dogs your dog is comfortable around or fearful around. This will be helpful so that when you see the dogs your dog may be fearful around at the dog park you may want to avoid the park until you know that your dog is comfortable around them.

Do a walk by the park so your dog is familiar with the surroundings

• Take your dog on leash to the park and walk the perimeter or along the fence so they can sniff and meet dogs but still be on a leash with you incase there is any fear or hesitation.

Start your dog out at the park slowly

• Go to the park for the first time on a quiet day when there is only a few dogs that are relatively your dog’s size and a breed you know he or she is normally comfortable around.
• Avoid evenings and weekends at first as they tend to be busier
• Start in the small dog area if available and your dog is small. If there is no separate small dog area in the park and there is only large dogs when you go, you may want to come back another time

Choose the parks you decide to go to wisely

• Look for parks with a small dog / big dog separator if needed.
• If you are not 100% confident in your dog’s training choose a park with a fence.
• Look for parks with a separate entrance and exit and do not have 90 degree angles so your dog cannot be cornered by another dog.
• Avoid parks next to busy roads unless your dog knows to stay away.
• Look for parks with shaded areas, water and space to run around.
• Make sure the park is well lit if you plan to go at night.

Observe the dogs before entering

• Observe the dogs that are at the park before you go, if the dogs appear to be too aggressive come back another time
• Look for dogs that are around your dog’s size. If they are all larger and dominant come back another time.

Keep visits short in the beginning

• Start with a short visit maximum 20 minutes and build up the time spent each time in the park based on your dog’s comfort level.

Exercise your dog prior to going to the dog park

• If you walk your dog prior to the park they will burn off some energy and will be less excited when they get to the park.
• An excited dog may elicit attention and aggression of other dogs who may not like overly excited younger dogs and this may lead to a fight

Etiquette and Safety When at the Dog Park

Now that your dog is ready to try out the dog park it is important to know what to keep in mind and look out for when you are there.

Keep an eye on your own dog at all times

• You must keep a watch on your dog and know where he or she is at all times. You want to make sure he or she is playing appropriately.
• You want to watch out for any signs of stressful or dangerous situations.
• Make sure your dog isn’t eating anything like leftover pieces of toys, other dogs’ feces, drinking puddle water or anything else that may be on the ground.
• Be aware of signs that your dog has had enough and is ready to go.

Pick up after your dog

• Always watch out for when your dog eliminates and pick it up immediately.

Avoid fights and stressful situations

• If you see any signs that a fight may occur call your dog away immediately.
• If your dog shows signs of fear you should take him or her out of the situation in the chance he or she may have a negative experience.

 Practise the “come” cue several times in the park

• Call your dog to “come” to you at the dog park and reward with treats multiple times during play so that when you actually leave he or she does not associate being called to “come” as a negative thing out of punishment for being bad and therefore having to leave the park. When you do call your dog to leave the park make sure you reward him or her for coming with treats as well.
• Practising “come” is also important so that you are confident that if you do need to call your dog away from a stressful or dangerous situation that he or she will “come” on cue.

Keep toys at home

• If you know your dog has a possessive tendency towards toys do not bring them with you to the park as that will potentially cause a fight with another dog.
• You should also avoid the park if other dogs are playing with a ball or other toy if you know your dog is also possessive of other dogs’ toys as well.

Keep an eye on your dog’s water intake

• Make sure you bring water with you if the park does not have a water station available.
• Offer your dog water regularly during your time at the park.

Remain calm

• Dogs read their owner’s emotions. If you are anxious when a group of dogs come up to sniff your puppy for the first time at the park, your dog will also become nervous. It is normal for a group of dogs at the park to want to welcome and sniff out a new dog at the park. Do not overreact and stress out before there is anything to stress over.

Let other dog owners know your dog is new to the dog park

• If other owners know your dog is new to the park they will likely keep a better eye out on their dogs and make sure they play nicely with yours.

Dog Park Suitability

Even though you may think your dog will enjoy the dog park and want to take him or her there, not all dogs are suitable for the dog park. Outlined below are qualities of dogs that do well and enjoy dog parks as well as a list of dogs who should avoid the dog park.

Dogs Who Enjoy the Dog Park:

• Dogs who are confident
• Dogs who are energetic
• Dogs who are playful and friendly
• Dogs who play nicely with other dogs

Dogs Who Should Avoid the Dog Park:

• Female dogs in heat
• Any unaltered dogs over the age of 6 months (it may start a fight between intact and neutered males especially if a female in heat is around)
• Aggressive dogs
• Sick dogs
• Reactive dogs or fearful dogs
• Unvaccinated dogs
• Young puppies
• Senior dogs

The post How to Prepare Your Dog for the Dog Park appeared first on Good Heels Dog Walking.

Why is it Important for Humans to Understand How Dogs Communicate?

It is important for us as humans to understand how dogs communicate with each other so that we can interpret their body language and prevent dangerous or fearful situations from occurring.

It also allows us to become aware of things that make our dogs happy, playful, angry or fearful. Being able to understand a dog’s body language helps us to build stronger bonds in our relationships with our dogs.

Understanding a Dog’s Emotions Through Body Language

Friendly Dog

Let’s first examine how friendly dogs may appear. Friendly dogs seeks affection. They are socially attracted to people and other dogs. Their tails wag slowly and playfully. They present with relaxed mouths, relaxed eyes, ears back and relaxed bodies. A friendly, playful dog would signal that he or she wants to play using bows and a bouncy behaviour. He or she may bum check to initiate play.

Non-Social Dog

A non-social dog, on the other hand, would not seek affection and would likely ignore humans or other dogs. His or her body would be very still. You would see relatively little tail wag. He or she may look stressed.

Stressed Dog

If a dog is stressed you will notice that his or her tail is down, ears back and body posture is low. He or she may be panting rapidly, have dilated pupils and sweaty paws. Important stress signals to be aware of that may lead to aggression are yawning, lip licking, drooling, half-moon eye (white of eye appearing in moon shape), avoidance of eye contact, highly aroused state and raised hackles.

Fearful Dog

If a dog is stressed it may be because he is fearful of another dog, human or situation. If your dog is afraid he will likely have his tail between his legs , flattened ears, curled lips, dilated pupils, low body posture or raised hackles.

Signs of Potential Aggression in Dogs

A dog may move beyond the point of stress if whatever is causing the stress continues. Signs that the dog is on the verge of aggression are freezing, stiffness, direct start, subtle lip lift and growling.

Major indicators that a dog may bite are lip licking, freezing, direct start and half-moon eyes.

Dominant vs Submissive Personalities

Dominant dogs tend to have a stiff, tall body posture and lean forward. They show direct eye contact, ears are forward and alert. Dominant dogs tend to be persistent on nagging on another dog or dogs in the dog park. They also tend to be the dogs who jump on a hump other dogs.

In contrast, submissive dogs tend to have a low tail carriage, low body posture, and roll on their back. They have lowered ears, flattened foreheads and face licking.

It takes more than just simply understanding the body language of dogs to be able to know when to react to a situation. Just because your dog freezes and stares at another dog it doesn’t necessarily mean they are going to attack a dog. Also, a wagging tail doesn’t necessarily mean that a dog is happy and wants you to pat them. Yawning can mean your dog is tired but it can also mean your dog is stressed. You must take the context and situation into account when interpreting your dog’s body language.

The post How Do Dogs Communicate With Each Other? appeared first on Good Heels Dog Walking.

Hinge Park (Olympic Village)

 Location:

-215 W. 1st Avenue
-along the beautiful False Creek seawall, in the heart of Olympic village

Pros:

-fenced in dog park
-separate small dog and large dog areas. Gate is often left open so all dogs can play together but there is the option to shut the fence to separate when needed.
-water pumps and bowls to keep dogs hydrated
-extra dog bags incase of emergency
-dog waste disposal bins
-benches for owners to sit and watch

Cons:

-quite small so not a ton of space for dogs to run around
-can get overcrowded on evenings and weekends
-can get large puddles when it rains (however I find it to be cleaner than most dog parks because there is no grass only gravel)
-water pumps shut off in the winter so be sure to bring your own water

Charleson Park

Location:

-999 Charleson St.
-Fairview neighbourhood, previous home of the “jelly beans”

Pros:

-large open park
-great for playing fetch as there is lots of space for dogs to run around
-small area with a waterfall/pond
-trail section
-along seawall, water views and great views of downtown

Cons:

-Only a low fence on the seawall side, so make sure your dog has good recall to stay close
-Restrictions as to hours that dogs can be off-leash in certain areas of the park:

• Grass bowl off-leash times: 6:00 am to 10:00 pm
• Waterfall pond: Oct-May off-leash times all day; June-Sept dogs must be on-leash from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

-Very muddy on rainy days

Queen Elizabeth Park

 Location:

-4600 Cambie St. (E 37th and Columbia)

Pros:

-wide open grass area for dogs to run around and play fetch
-surrounded by a large park to walk your dog on-leash
-quiet neighbourhood

Cons:

-off-leash area is quite small considering the overall size of the park
-roads surrounding it and no fence
-no water
-limited garbages

Quilchena Park

Location:

-4590 Magnola St. (Between W33rd Ave. and Pine St.)

Pros:

-large grassed park for dogs to run around
-lots of space to play fetch
-waterbowls

Cons:

-very muddy when rainy

Pacific Spirit Park

Location:

-5495 Chancellor Blvd

Pros:

-off-leash and on-leash walking trails
-beautiful views of water and mountains
-varies in terrain from flat to slight hills to stairs.

Cons:

-can have lots of muddy spots when rains
-no fence and mountain cliffs so some risk if your dog doesn’t stay close
-not many garbages along route
-no water stations
-cyclists use some of the paths so watch out for them

Everett Crowley Park

Location:

-8200 Kerr St.

Pros:

-large park with on-leash and off-leash trails
-water jugs and bowls
-garbages available

Cons:

-very muddy in rainy weather
-depending where you go on the trail you may be confused as to if you are on an on-leash or off-leash trail. There is signage but not at all path crossings

Now that I have presented you with some options of local dog friendly areas, get out and enjoy some quality time outdoors with your favourite furry friend!

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