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We talk a lot about mid-day dog walks here at FurBabies Home Pet Care. If you own a dog, chances are you have a general understanding of why dogs need walks. Dogs need exercise. They need bathroom breaks. They need attention. But a mid-day dog walk is typically around 12 to 3pm, and you’ll probably be home from work at around 5. Is that mid-day dog walk really that important?

The answer is: absolutely yes.

Why Do Dogs Need This Mid-Day Walk?

Every dog is different, with their own personality and needs. But most dogs have specific qualities and health needs that make a mid-day dog walk very important. For example:

• While many dogs can hold their urine needs for as long as 10 hours, it is much healthier for dogs to get regular bathroom breaks. Most vets will tell you that it is healthier for the dog to use the bathroom every 6 hours, and no longer than 8. Some dogs quite literally cannot hold their urine longer than 6 hours. Those mid-day walks are thus important for long term health.
• Dogs often have no choice but to be home alone for as long as 8+ hours when you’re at work. But dogs do need people. Most vets recommend that dogs are not left alone for longer than 4 hours at most, because they’ll start to develop anxiety and stress that could affect their future behaviors.
• Dogs get bored, and boredom leads to destruction. Many people believe that dogs that destroy property while you’re away are mad or stress, and while that could be true, a dog that has been left home for more than 8 hours is going to get bored, and boredom is the top cause of destructive dog behaviors.
• Many dog breeds need at least a full hour of non-stop exercise. Some dogs need even more. There are only so many hours in the day, and most pet owners do not have an hour where they’re able to take their dog on a much needed walk.

Finally, not all exercise is the same. 1 hour of exercise is great, but two 30 minute exercises are even better. In human studies, two 30 minute exercise sessions are typically (although not always) more beneficial than one one-hour session. It depends on the activity and what your fitness goals are (in humans, if you’re trying to gain muscle, 1 hour of training is better), but for most canine needs, those multiple walks are likely to put your dog in better long term health.

Mid-Day Dog Walks from FurBabies Home Pet Care

Mid-day dog walks are not just a luxury. They are a great choice for pet owners that want to give their dog better overall care. If you’re in the Lake Mary or Sanford area and want to inquire about our professional dog walking service, please contact Furbabies Home Pet Care, today.