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By having a dog, you are encouraging a routine by feeding them at certain time. letting them out early in the morning and before they sleep and taking them on a daily walk or exercise

This routine building can also improve your health waking up early is proven to reduce stress and having responsibility

When you provide your dog with a responsible schedule you are making them feel secure

When you reduce the amount of energy that you take on making decisions you end up making better choices on the ones that matter

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Most dogs thrive on having a routine. They like knowing when to expect activities such as mealtimes, walks, playtime, and more. It can also be a great help to establish a routine when trying to train a dog. Most dogs feel more secure when they can predict what is going to happen each day. The following ideas will show you how establishing a routine can benefit your dog training program.

It's a good idea to give your dog or puppy its meals at the same time every day. Puppies usually eat several small meals over the course of the day, while adult dogs get one or two larger meals. Talk to your veterinarian to figure out the best type and portion of food for your dog.

The benefit of feeding a dog at the same time every day is that it makes it easier to predict when it'll need to relieve himself. This makes a big difference when you're trying to housebreak a dog.

Dogs should get outside to go relieve themselves at about the same time each day. Puppies need frequent potty breaks, while older dogs can hold it for longer periods. Keep this in mind when creating a schedule for your dog.

Putting this on a schedule will greatly enhance your housebreaking efforts. Dogs will be more likely to hold it if they can reliably predict when they'll get a chance to go outside and relieve themselves.

Walks and Playtime

Plan on spending about an hour or more each day walking and playing with your dog. All dogs will benefit from this type of exercise and mental stimulation. Getting this activity every day can help curb destructive behavior.

Training Time

It's a good idea to add training time to your dog's schedule every day. It helps improve its behavior, and it provides it with some mental stimulation. There are a few ways to add training to your schedule each day:

Training sessions: Training sessions are short (about 10 minutes) periods you set aside a few times each day to work on a particular skill, such as basic commands. This is a great way to train a dog to do new behaviors and to reinforce them. Clicker training is one method that works well with a session approach.

Opportunity training: This involves using different opportunities that arise throughout the day to reinforce your dog's training. For instance, while your family is sitting down to a meal is a great time to work on a "go to place" command. While you're watching television in the evening is a good time to work on capturing behaviors with a clicker.

Adding both of these methods to your schedule is sure to create a better-behaved dog and a happier family.

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Most dogs thrive on having a routine. They like knowing when to expect activities such as mealtimes, walks, playtime, and more. It can also be a great help to establish a routine when trying to train a dog. Most dogs feel more secure when they can predict what is going to happen each day.

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https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-bond-for-life-pets/pets-as-coworkers/pets-and-mental-health

Dogs increase activity levels in their owners due to their need for activity themselves. Exercise causes the release of endorphins which reduces stress, anxiety, and gives someone a sense of well-being. Increased activity levels also help improve quality of sleep and mood.

A simple task such as walking a dog gives a sense of purpose and productiveness to an owner which can help improve mental health and ties into having a routine to follow which can also benefit mental health.

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Your co-worker at home helps you have a happier, healthier mind.

Millions of people around the world love their pets -- they're part of the family! We enjoy their companionship and going for walks, playing with them and even talking and singing to them.

Evidence suggests that attachment to pets is good for human health and even helps build a better community.

It's no secret that pets can contribute to your happiness. Studies show that dogs reduce stress, anxiety and depression; ease loneliness; encourage exercise and improve your overall health. For example, people with dogs tend to have lower blood pressure and are less likely to develop heart disease. Just playing with a dog has been shown to raise levels of the feel-good brain chemicals oxytocin and dopamine, creating positive feelings and bonding for both the person and their pet.

Pets can be especially helpful as we grow older. In a survey on healthy aging, adults over 50 reported these top 3 benefits:

Less stress

Better sense of purpose

More social connection

5 ways pets help your mental health

1. Pets can reduce work-related stress. Two out of three employees say work stresses them out and 40% say their job gets in the way of their health. Studies show that pets in the workplace help reduce stress and improve employee satisfaction.

2. Pets can help increase productivity, wherever you work. When a dog joins a virtual meeting, group members rank their teammates higher on trust, team cohesion and camaraderie.

3. Pets help manage anxiety. Now more than ever, many people are feeling anxious or struggling with mental health. Pets provide companionship and support.

4. Pets can help you be more active. They give you a reason to get outside, get some fresh air and get active, which is proven to improve your mood, sleep and mental health.

5. Pets provide a sense of togetherness. The bond with a pet helps you to not feel alone. When owners see, touch, hear or talk to their companion animals, it brings a sense of goodwill, joy, nurturing and happiness.

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5 Ways Pets Help with Stress and Mental Health

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When working from home, dogs, cats and other pets are good co-workers. They can help you deal with stress, be more productive and stay happier and healthier.

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https://www.active.com/fitness/articles/are-dog-owners-healthier-people

A Michigan State study showed that dog owners are 34  percent more likely to fit in 150 minutes of walking per week than non-dog owners.

A dogs basic need for physical activity forces their owners to provide that activity which overall causes the owner to exercise as well.

Even if it is moderate exercise, such as walking, owners still benefit tremendously from the walking. Studies also show that when walking with a dog, opposed to a human or alone, people tend to walk faster and farther distances which increases speed and endurance.

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A university called Chapman U organizes a program called Furry Friends for Finals in which students can pet one of 10 puppies that are stationed outside the library the week before exams as a means to de-stress. Petting and playing with puppies has shown to increase levels of "feel-good" hormones serotonin and dopamine, which can help reduce stress levels and help improve memory and concentration.

Dog domestication began approximately 15,000 years ago, according to fossil records. By living with humans, dogs benefited from our up-right gait, color vision and use of tools, which ensured that they had readily-available food.

Humans benefited from the protection, warmth, sense of smell and acute hearing that came with dog companionship. Here are some modern-day reasons why living among our furry, canine friends may be healthier than switching to gluten-free bread.

1. Dogs can improve physical fitness.
The Journal of Physical Activity & Health found that dog owners are more likely to reach their fitness goals than those without canine companions. Researchers at Michigan State University found that dog owners are 34 percent more likely to fit in 150 minutes of walking per week than non-dog owners. The study also found that owning a dog promotes health and fitness even after you take your pup for a stroll, increasing leisure-time physical activity by 69 percent.
A University of Missouri study found that walking with a puppy leads to a 28 percent increase in walking speed, compared to only a 4 percent increase when walking with a human buddy.

Not only are dog walkers getting more exercise, they're getting better quality exercise (walking faster and possibly covering more mileage), than people who simply walk or run on their own. Dog walkers are also more likely to stick to their fitness plans than those who walk with other humans or alone.

Dog-owning families often promote physical activity within the household, shows a study from the University of Virginia, which found that teens from dog-owning families are more physically active than teens whose families don't own a pet dog. With rising rates of childhood obesity, owning a dog might give kids incentive to get out of the house and spend more time outside, leading to better fitness levels -thereby lowering the incidence of disease-later in life.

2. Dogs can help prevent chronic disease.

Dog owners who walk their dogs regularly have one-third the risk of diabetes than those who don't own a dog, according to exercise scientist, Cindy Lentino. This statistic highlights the importance of maintaining physical activity levels and controlling stress levels as a means of preventing the occurrence of type II diabetes, rather than just a focusing on diet as the sole root cause.

Dogs prevent autoimmune disease and allergies in children. Researchers at the University of Cinncinati College of Medicine found that children from families with a history of allergies are less likely to develop eczema and asthma (atopy) if they grow up with a pet dog starting at birth.

If we consider that animals are typically "dirtier" than humans, this research fits with the Hygiene Hypothesis, which states that the more dirt kids are exposed to, the less likely they are to suffer from autoimmune diseases and allergies in childhood.

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A university called Chapman U organizes a program called Furry Friends for Finals in which students can pet one of 10 puppies that are stationed outside the library the week before exams as a means to de-stress.

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Walking with a dog for 30 minutes a day can reduce a humans risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and several types of cancer. Walking with a dog can also prevent high blood pressure and strokes.

Increasing daily activity can also increase blood circulation and boost the immune system. This leads to dog owners typically being healthier individuals.

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When you say, "It's time to walk the dog," many people assume that your pup needs to go do his "business". Yes, walking the dog is essential to keeping the household carpet unblemished, but taking a stroll with your pooch provides many other benefits.

How does walking keep my dog healthy?

Walking your dog is a simple task that has a positive impact on many aspects of overall health such as:

Weight and Body Condition. Obesity is a major health issue, but barring medical complications, it has a reasonable solution: burn more calories than consumed. Regular exercise, like walking, is a good way to burn those excess calories and keep the pounds off - for both you and your dog.

Joint Health. Immobility is another common health problem. Joints, even old ones, need to work. People and pets get stiff when sedentary for too long, and keeping joints in motion improves their function.

Digestive and Urinary Health. Regular walking helps regulate the digestive tract. Some dogs, like some people, prefer to "go" on a schedule, and providing your dog with routine trips outdoors prevents constipation. Also, when urine sits in the bladder for long periods of time, bladder infections are more likely to occur, so regular emptying keeps this part of the anatomy happy as well.

Of course, it is important to consult your doctor and your veterinarian before embarking on an exercise program.

Can't my dog get all of those benefits with a good run around the yard?

There are plenty of benefits to walking that go beyond physical health including:

Mental Health. Dogs do not like to be bored and if you give them something constructive to do, like taking a walk, they may be less likely to do something destructive, like chewing the couch. Walking exercises the mind as well as the body. Watching wildlife, exploring new paths, seeing other people with their pets, and so on, are great mental stimulation for your dog that he just cannot get in the same fenced area all the time. Walking also releases excess energy and helps dogs sleep better at night.

Emotional Health. You are the center of your dog's universe and he craves your attention. What better way to spend quality time with your dog than taking a walk? Spending one-on-one time with your dog will deepen your bond and help deter annoying, attention- seeking behaviors such as excessive barking or whining.

Personal Health. Many people need outside motivation to work out, and may depend on an exercise buddy to get them off the couch. What happens when your exercise partner gets stuck at work or stuck in traffic or has another commitment? Your dog is only committed to one thing... you! That makes him the perfect exercise partner. He is always available and willing to accompany you on a walk.

Dog walkers: healthier people with healthier dogs

As you can see, regular walking has health benefits for both you and your dog and will help prevent obesity, which is a significant problem in both species.

Nearly 75% of Americans are overweight and childhood obesity is on the rise (close to 20%). In a 2008 study based in Seattle and Baltimore, adults who regularly walked their dogs were less likely to be obese than their non dog-owning neighbors. In addition, walking for 30 minutes a day will reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, colon and breast cancer, and type-2 diabetes.

"It is estimated that about 50% of dogs in the United States are overweight and 25-30% of dogs are obese."

Canine obesity is a problem, too. It is estimated that about 50% of dogs in the United States are overweight and 25-30% of dogs are obese. The fact is, obese dogs do not live as long as lean dogs. Plus, they suffer more heart problems and joint ailments that affect their quality of life. While it is true that dogs may exercise themselves if left in a fenced-in yard, like us, they have a tendency to plop down in the shade instead of romping, especially if there is no one to play with. However, if given the chance, they will gladly go for a walk with their owners!

How much should we walk?

According to the World Health Organization, children 5-17 years old should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous (aerobic) exercise every day. Adults 18-64 years old should engage in moderate exercise for 30 minutes 5 days a week and engage in strengthening exercises at least twice weekly. Seniors over 65 should also participate in moderate exercise 5 days a week, engage in strengthening exercise 2 or more days a week, and add flexibility and balance routines at least 3 days a week.

Walking your dog is a great start to fulfilling these recommendations for you and your family, and leads to a healthy, happier dog!

How do we get started?

Many people make a New Year's resolution to exercise. What can you do to stick to your resolution? Make a reasonable exercise plan that does not overwhelm you by including your best exercise buddy. Formulating a reasonable walking schedule that does not over tax your body or crowd your busy schedule will help you stay on target and including your dog will motivate you to get going.

"Keep the routine interesting by walking in different areas that provide visual interest for both you and your dog."

Start out slowly by taking a few 10 minute practice walks around the neighborhood. When you - and your dog - are ready, increase the time and distance. Try to walk for a total of 30 minutes each day - it doesn't have to be all in one outing. You can take a 10 minute walk in the morning before work and add a 20 minute stroll when you get home. On weekends, you can vary the routine, perhaps doing three 10 minute sessions. Regardless of the schedule, strive for 30 minutes of daily exercise.

Keep the routine interesting by walking in different areas that provide visual interest for both you and your dog. Or substitute a game of fetch or a romp in the park if you feel up to it. The goal is to make exercise a priority that holds a scheduled spot in each day so that you feel less likely to avoid your plan. It will not take long for your dog to get used to the routine and he may remind you when it is time to exercise. That is just one reason why canines are great exercise companions!

Dog owners who like to mark their progress can download a walking calendar or exercise app or use one of an electronic tracking device that record daily steps and caloric history (calories consumed vs. burned). Sometimes seeing the numbers provides additional motivation to walk a little further or validates your efforts when you reach your goal.

Rewarding your efforts

Some humans like to be rewarded for their workout efforts, so they grab a cookie or have a beer after exercising. After walking your dog, you may find his grateful, calorie-free affection is all the reward you need. And your dog will feel the same way! A simple stroll is a great way to say, "I love you!"

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The Benefits Of Walking Your Dog | VCA Animal Hospitals

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When you say, "It's time to walk the dog," many people assume that your pup needs to go do his "business". Yes, walking the dog is essential to keeping the household carpet unblemished, but taking a stroll with your pooch provides many other benefits.