Home Care Fun: Walk Your Dog Month
Home Care in Clark County
January is Walk Your Dog Month, the perfect opportunity for your parents and their home care provider to get up, get out, and start enjoying a more active lifestyle with your parents’ furry friend.
Walking a dog is not only part of being a responsible and loving pet owner, a role that studies have shown can offer a broad range of potential health benefits including reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and easing feelings of depression and loneliness, but it is also a fantastic way to encourage your seniors to participate in a more active lifestyle so that they can keep their bodies healthier and stronger throughout their aging years.
Use these tips, and share them with your parents and their in home health care services provider, to make the most out of your parents’ jaunts with their canine companion:
• Get the right leash. Neither you nor the dog is going to really enjoy a walk that consists mostly of the dog pulling on you and you struggling to keep him in line. To prevent this from happening, make sure that you have the right leash for the dog. This includes finding one that is rated for the size and weight of the dog, and choosing a style that is appropriate for his particular walking habits. Well-trained dogs who remain calm and compliant during walks can use basic strap leashes without problem, while dogs who are less experienced on the leash and are prone to pulling, jumping, or running may benefit from a harness or a leash that applies gentle, consistent pressure to promote calmness.
• Warm up first. To get the most out of the walk for you and for the dog, you do not want to just be strolling along slowly. Speeding up burns more calories, works the muscles and joints more effectively, strengthens the heart and lungs, and lets Fido burn off some energy so he is calmer and more docile at home. If you are going to maintain a faster speed while walking, make sure that you take a few minutes to warm up before you head out. Get your muscles active and start your heart pumping so that you can enjoy the experience and minimize the chances of injury.
• Try new routes. Rather than just taking the same loop around the neighborhood, consider having a destination walk with the pup. Getting out and walking is a wonderful way to stimulate the mind as much as the body, and seeing new and interesting things furthers this effect. Pack the dog up in the car and head to a local school to use the track, explore a local park’s walking trails, or even visit an open-air mall that allows pets. You should not be walking so fast that you are unable to carry on a conversation comfortably, so while you are walking, talk about what you are experiencing with all of your senses. Just be sure to always bring along plenty of water and all of the supplies that you will need to properly clean up after the pet.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring a professional home care in Clark County, VA, please contact the caring staff at LivinRite Home Care. Call Us Today at (703) 369-6677. Serving Northern Virginia, The Valley, and Surrounding Communities
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