It is no news that there are breeds of dogs that are very high energy like a Border Collie, Austrailian Shepherd or a Siberian Husky. These breed of dogs need jobs to keep them busy. Then there are dogs like Chihuahuas, Shih-Tzus and Toy Poodles who are smaller and seen as “not needing” a daily walk. However, there are so many health benefits to walking every breed of dog. Such as low blood pressure, better cardiac health, better mobility as they age, and a happier attitude at home so you can snuggle up on the couch.
I own an 8-year-old Pomeranian, Baby. She is generally very relaxed and will lay in bed with you or sit on the couch as long as you want, and she is content doing that. However, my 1-year-old Siberian Husky, Nala, is not as relaxed. Nala’s breed is much more physically demanding than Baby’s, and although Baby loves going for walks, she does not depend upon them daily to be relaxed in the house.
There was a period where I was working multiple jobs and studying for my Veterinary Technicians National Exam (VTNE). My boyfriend was also working a lot of hours so unfortunately, the dog’s exercise was a little bit neglected. She would spend hours while we are gone howling in her crate, she would destroy the blankets and toys that we put inside with her. When she wasn’t getting attention in the house, she would ruin underwear, socks, and other pieces of small clothing or hand towels. She would counter surf and try to steal the cat food and get into their litter, and not eating her full meals or at all. None of which she had ever really had a problem with before. During this period of time, we were so frustrated that our Husky who had routinely been very obedient and reserved was now acting out and not listening and getting into everything.
Eventually, I obtained one full-time job mostly the opposite of my boyfriend’s schedule. I started walking both dogs in the morning before I left for work and he would take them to an off-leash park and exercise them in the evening most days through the week. Since this regular exercise regime started, Nala isn’t ruining any clothes (she still destroys underwear if she gets it, so we have to be extra cautious to keep that away from her). She does not howl when we are gone, she leaves the cat food and the cat litter alone, and she is much more inclined to spend time laying on the couch watching TV with us. She also eats her food regularly and at both feedings.
In my personal experience, what we thought was a nightmare of a dog that was anxious suddenly after eight months of not being so, was just a case of her trying to entertain herself since we were not doing it.
Written By: Alycia Frank, Technician
