One of the questions that we get asked a lot is if people should use our dog running service in Las Vegas instead of walking their dog. While there are plenty of people that are looking for a way to exercise their dog that will not involve themselves taking the dog out, we do not suggest running a dog instead of walking them. This is because running a dog should be IN ADDITION to walking them a few times a day. You are the only real family that your dog has, and they do not have a lot of enrichment except for you. Walking them several times a day for extended periods of time not only gives them exercise, it also allows them to spend time with you, as well as enjoying the environment outside of their yard. Think about it like being in prison, although it is a nice prison it is a prison all the same. You are not allowed to come and go as you please, you rarely get any visitors or anyone else paying attention to you at all, and there is almost nothing new to do at all. This goes on all day, every day. Now think about the fact that you are a dog that thrives on excitement of chasing, hunting and interacting with others. Suddenly the staying in the house all day is not pleasant, and no matter if you have food and water or not it becomes a prison sentence. When you do anything that you consider fun, you get yelled at because it usually involves tearing something apart. The only time during the day that you get to spend walking around and enjoying your family is when you are taken on walks, and this is even too much for some owners. While the walks are good, the dog needs more.
Most veterinarians will suggest multiple walks every day for socialization and exercise, combined with high intensity running every other day or so. In the wild, dogs are constantly sprinting while they search for food, and are mentally stimulated by the chase. This “prey drive” is not only what keeps them alive, it also makes them happy. We take the majority of that activity from them because it is too difficult for us to arrange a safe environment for them to run and chase, so they get very little of it. The result is poor health, atrophied rear leg muscles, weak hearts and lungs. The life spans of our dogs are shortened by our lack of running them, and the life they do lead is generally filled with poor health and potentially pain as a result of a lack of exercise. This is simply because we have convinced ourselves as their keepers that a daily walk is enough. In reality it is not even close.
Figuring out ways to safely run your dog is important for their health and well being. If it involves finding a field somewhere to allow them to chase a ball, or maybe a dog park where you can play fetch without other dogs bothering them, then you need to do that often. If it involves hiking and swimming in addition to daily walks, then you need to do as much of that as possible. If these types of things are not within your range, then hiring a service like RUN DAWG that can provide running exercise for your dog is necessary for them to lead a happy and healthy life. We exercise dogs once a week, allowing them to run at their own chosen pace for 30 minutes in a safe environment on our treadmills. Some dogs will run fast, and others will simply walk. Either way, your dog gets the mental challenges and physical exercise they need to stay happy.
