Benefits of Dog Walks for Puppies

Puppies are darling but they can be a handful! Young puppies are very impressionable and it is important that their experiences are both fun and positive so your puppy will grow into a well-rounded dog. Dog walks for puppies can be a very helpful part of that growth process when handled correctly.

When we say dog walk, we really mean any visit from a dog walker.

Your puppy does not actually have to go for a full, official walk if he is too young or there are concerns about vaccinations. Even if your pup does not leave the house, there are still many benefits of having a dog walker come for a visit.

When You Can Use Walks For Puppies

When you work away from home during the day. Puppies generally can hold it for an hour per month of age, so if you have a 3 month old puppy, she should be able to last around 3 hours in between potty breaks (plus when she is playing, eating, or just woke up).
When you work from home but need to focus on work.
When you need to run errands.
When you are going out for the day, maybe for a family outing or a day trip.
When you want your puppy to meet some new people to socialize.
When you just need a break from puppy teeth and playtime.

Benefits of Walks for Puppies

Again, this does not need to be an actual walk around the block, although it can be. Instead it could be your dog walker coming and playing with your puppy in the yard.

Puppies need almost constant supervision unless she is in a crate. Even then, she needs to come out often and spend most of her day interacting with people. A dog walker allows her supervised time out and about without you having to be directly involved.
Puppies need to meet a variety of people in their formative stages in order to be well socialized. A dog walker will provide a positive, fun interaction with someone from outside your immediate household and show that guests are fun!
Puppies can be taught a lot of fun tricks during their youth and having a positive dog walker work on tricks and rules teaches her that the rules are the same with all people, not just you.
Dog walkers often have a lot of experience with puppy behavior. Working with a dog walker gives you a chance to get tips about your specific puppy and how to work on different behaviors.
When a dog walker comes to your home, she is only there for the benefit of you and your puppy. There is no dinner to be made, kids asking questions about homework or bills to be paid. Let a dog walker help you while spending some time focused on just your puppy.

What Do Walks For Puppies Look Like?

Most dog walkers can structure a puppy walk however your need, but here are some tips:

Talk to your veterinarian about actual walks around the neighborhood. If your vet recommends your puppy stay in your area, then your “walks” will actually be playtime in the yard and house.
If your vet gives the all-clear, your dog walker could take her for a quick walk around the block. Most young puppies cannot go much further than that. You should still avoid parks as they can be overwhelming for most puppies and hard to control.
You want all of our puppy’s experiences to be positive, so make sure your dog walker is not going anywhere scary and uses positive training techniques.
Arrange walks for puppies at the time when your pup will need to go potty and is typically awake and active. Most puppies have their favorite nap times, so keep those on schedule.
When choosing how long of a visit, think about how long your puppy normally plays and factor in snack and potty time. Ideally your visit is long enough to cover all of those and leave your puppy content (and sleepy) at the end.

How To Find a Local Dog Walker

Look for a dog walking service that provides flexible visits that fit your needs.
Take a look at our Checklist for Hiring a Dog Walker
Contact Us if you are in our area and want amazing walks for your puppies!