Good Ways To Exercise Your Alaskan Malamute: Tips On Walking The Dog

The easiest exercise method of all that we probably can ALL participate in on some level would be simply walking our dogs. Be prepared, however, because the malamute will just be getting started when you are thinking it is time to quit!

We went on a walk yesterday with our 4-1/2 month old Griffin and Denaya who is 7-8 years old. We had intended to only walk for an hour and somehow ended up doing an incredible marathon of 7-8 miles. We were wilted by the time we got home but they were quite satisfied. It is frightening to think how much energy they possess as compared to us mere humans!

Walking is the simplest form of exercise for any of us and obviously comes without the added expense of much in the way of equipment. A sturdy pair of walking shoes, collar and leash should have you at the ready to begin your walking experience with your dog. To round out your ensemble for walking, it is recommended that at all times you carry waste bags for collecting any dog waste product that may occur while on the walk and water of some sort just in case. You never know what you might encounter. Having an expandable water bowl or a bowl that folds down and straps to your belt is a nice addition. I also carry a walking stick simply because where we live, it is an area notorious for loose dogs of all breeds and although I've never had to use the stick, I like having it available to me "just in case".

There are a multitude of opportunities available in every city and town for walking your dogs. You can be as selective as your own neighborhood or as adventurous as you wish by doing actual hikes out in more desolate places. It is recommended on hiking in the wilderness that you investigate though whether it is safe to take a dog on a specific hike as in some national forests for instance, a dog on the trail is a huge threat to everyone and may bring out wildlife that you would be better off not meeting, for instance cougars or bears. In some parks, taking your dog out of the car is prohibited, so again, it is a good idea to do your homework and investigate the area if extremely rural when you plan your hike. A little planning ahead could ward off a potential disaster as many times wildlife will attack on scenting a dog. Checking with the National Park Service or the Forestry Service is also a good idea to see if there are any restrictions for dogs.

There are also numerous books available on most locales detailing some of the best hiking areas and even difficulty of trails. The beauty of today's libraries and/or Internet is that you can find basically any information on any given region in moments. You can research and find out the best city walks to take your dog on or you can research and find the best trails to go hiking in the wilderness with your 4-legged friends. Just be sure that you do pay attention to any disclaimers or safety issues as a dog of any breed caught in a dangerous situation is counterproductive to you having a good exercise experience with your dog!

Always make sure you are aware of the weather and that you are appropriately dressed for your outing. Again, making sure that you have adequate water and/or snacks is a good preparation to make if you are doing any longer distance hiking/walking for both you and your canine friends. We always make sure that we also have a cell phone with us, especially if we are going somewhere off the beaten path so that in the event of an emergency, we could summon help. We also like to carry a digital camera with us as we like to capture our surroundings and the dogs with us; as well it provides a memory of what we did, what we saw, when we were there and how it all went.

Where we live, there is a beautiful set of trails in the Bend, Oregon area and we have frequently taken our dogs there for exercising. You can walk the trails for hours and see many different things at any given time of year. There is also the river, where some folks let their dogs go in for a swim. There is also a huge dog park where many people take their dogs on a regular basis and let them have a free run. We do not frequent the dog park because we found that it was covered in bark and dirt and the nuisance that creates for the woolly nature of Griffin's fur precludes us from doing that since we end up spending hours untangling bark from his fur! However, the dog park is a beautiful park and the dogs inside obviously enjoy it! There are further miles and miles of excellent walking paths, however, for the dogs, complete with doggie waste bags and trash cans all along the way. You can also use the paths for jogging obviously and for biking - with or without your dog. There is also the added benefit of many restaurants that allow you to sit outside and have your companion dog with you as well.

For the most part, if you want to walk your malamute or high energy dog, you can find a place to do that much to the dog's benefit as well as your own, even if it is just a high school track that you walk around. They say walking is the best form of exercise and I always feel refreshed after some time out of doors away from all the pressing matters of everyday life, having the opportunity to clear my head and think of nothing other than my dog(s) as well as a bit of Mother Nature. They enjoy the attention and they enjoy the experience as well.