Morning. If your fur-baby is a puppy or older dog, you might want to schedule your walks first thing in the morning. Puppies have smaller bladders and need to stay on a strict potty schedule to maintain their potty training progress.
Much like humans, dogs often need to relieve themselves in the morning. As such, if you want to keep your floors clean, you should take them outside when you first wake up. However, until they've digested their breakfast, they're not going to make the most of a morning constitutional.
Feeding an hour or so before your walk means your pup will be full of healthy nutrients and won't be starving before walkies, helping them feel energized and ready to take on the park!
During the hot summer months, take your dog out before 8am or after 8pm when temperatures cool down. Offer them plenty of fresh water and choose shaded areas if you can.
Work Out With Your Pup
First thing's first, it's time to take Fido out for a walk! Your pooch needs to stretch its legs before their long day of … napping and eating. Better yet, this is a good time for a quick toilet break.
However, if you have a dog who sleeps more deeply you may need to be intentional about waking them. A great strategy that will usually prevent your dog from getting startled is to talk more loudly and move around the room until your dog gets up and joins you.
That can be all at once, but most people break it up into two or three walks per day. There's no perfect formula to determine how long to walk your dog, but half an hour at a time is a good rule of thumb. Start with a gentle 30-minute walk in the morning, and another before dinner.
Dogs need exercise, even when it's hot. We recommend walking your dog in the morning or evening when it's cooler to reduce the risk of heatstroke and burning their paws on the pavement.
According to Dr. Wilson, having a routine is “really comforting to the dog and helps them anticipate what the schedule is.” Dogs are better equipped to regulate their emotions when they know what to expect, so that means taking regular walks around the same time each day.
Generally, dogs need to relieve themselves 8–12 hours after digesting their previous meal. Dogs often (but not always) poop shortly after waking or roughly half an hour after eating. If you're feeding your dog two meals a day, they may defecate twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening.
The ideal schedule for your dog is one that allows them plenty of time each day to get outside for exercise, sleep, eat, and spend quality time with you. Good news: Your dog is not possessed. “Having a pet involves a lot of expenses that most people do not even consider,” says veterinarian and behaviorist Paola Cuevas.
The Ideal Puppy Feeding Schedule
A puppy's meal schedule must include at least three measured meals a day, preferably at the same time every day. For example, feed your puppy's first meal around 7 a.m., noontime for lunch, and 5 p.m. for dinner.
Taking your dog out in the morning before breakfast is a good habit to have, especially during the summer, as temperatures at that time are still mild and there being no need to worry about sunstroke. The morning walk should last half-an-hour to an hour and should be the longest of the day.
Most dogs need at least 1-2 walks per day (unless otherwise specified by your vet).
It's wise to walk your pooch at least once per day - but twice is ideal regardless of breed or size. According to the Kennel Club, all dogs need at least 30 minutes of 'formal exercise' – which is more intense than purely playing in the garden, for example – like a decent walk or playing fetch in a field.
All dogs are different, and some may be able to go longer than others without relieving themselves. However, a general guideline is that adult canines between one and seven years old can hold their urine for between six and eight hours. Of course, several factors impact this.
No dog of any age should be made to wait longer than 8 hours! Different breeds have different social needs: hounds are extremely social, but some “working” breeds and guard dogs are fine for 10-12 hours.
How long should a dog walk be? “An hour-long walk every day is generally a good recommendation — preferably all in one session,” Novack says.
Keep dogs under control
Keep your dog on a lead when walking on roads or when close to farm animals. A dog can cause distress to animals and endanger you. Keep your dog under control always so as not to disturb wildlife or annoy or frighten other visitors.
"The reason why dogs shake when they get up is just like us," Jackie Cameron, dog trainer and founder of No Kill Kern, tells The Dodo. "They want to stretch out and they want to get their muscles ready for activity. "Dogs are active beings. When they get up, they want to start moving.
According to the American Kennel Club, owners should let sleeping dogs lie. "Disrupting a dog during REM sleep can result in serious consequences," says the AKC. Think about your own nightmares—you usually wake up startled and scared, and it can take a few minutes to realize it was just a dream.
Reduce Bedroom Stimuli
Distractions like blue light, tv sounds, and early sunlight can all wake your dog up. Keep your dog's sleeping area as unentertaining and dark as possible to encourage more sleep. This includes removing any toys from your dog's premises because the last thing you want is a dog excited for play.
Your dog might wake up early due to a urinary tract infection, joint pain, or even due to dementia. If your dog frequently wakes up too early be sure to monitor them for signs of illness and distress.