Advice For Your Puppy’s First Outdoor Walk

Recently we spent an amazing day hiking La Concha mountain in Marbella with Chipi and in this post today I wanted to share several tips on how to prepare your puppy for his first outdoor walk.

A puppy is a small bundle of energy. He will move a lot and grow fast. And, of course, he will need exercise. Long walks on nature are beneficial for any dog and you should make them at least once per week.

Walking a puppy is an extremely important and responsible event. On how well the first walk is organized, the further dog’s perception of the street, nature, other animals and people will depend.

Vaccination

Before taking your puppy to the street do not forget to make all necessary vaccinations. The first full walk should take place only after the end of the 10-day quarantine after the last vaccination. Before that, you can take your dog outside, but you should always keep him in your arms. These walks are necessary in order to allow the puppy to get acquainted with the environment as early as possible and quickly get used to all the surprises that may scare him or lead to some confusion.

Leash

On the first walk you need to bring a puppy on a leash and try to choose a time when there are few people and dogs around. Early morning is a good time for this. Plan in advance the route of the walk and, having analyzed it, understand that on this route the puppy may be interested in and scared. A puppy should not be frightened by the streets, otherwise fear will prevent him from adapting to the new environment.

Regular walks with a puppy are also needed in order to train an animal as quickly as possible to do his natural needs outside the house.

Treats

Be sure to watch the puppy and after he does his business encourage him by caressing or giving him treats. Play with your pet, distract from fears, gradually complicate the route and watch how the puppy’s behavior change.

Strangers

Watch the puppy’s reaction to passing vehicles and, in case of fear, distract with a treat or a toy. Pay attention to the attitude of the puppy to strangers. The best reaction to strangers from a puppy is indifference. Do not let the dog bark at strangers, it is unpleasant to others and spoils the impression of the dog. Again, distract the pet from barking or avoid meeting with strangers for a while.

Watch the puppy carefully and do not allow the food waste, sticks, garbage, and other items to be picked up from the ground. Instead, you can offer a treat or a toy.

Be careful when crossing the road and do not walk with a puppy without a leash along the roads.

Training

The next step may be training a puppy, but only after he got used to a new setting for him. It will be very good if your friends agree to stroke the puppy for a walk and give him a treat. Such communication will help the puppy in the future not to be afraid of strangers.

During the walk, the puppy should not freeze, so do not let him sit in one place, he must move.

It is very important to choose the right collar and leash for your dog. The puppy should get used to the collar and leash gradually and very carefully. He must not have any unpleasant feelings when putting on a collar and moving on a leash, he should not be afraid of them and, of course, should not resist. The collar must fit the size of the dog, must not be hard or heavy.

Do not buy expensive collars, because the puppy grows and they have to be changed very often. It is recommended to get a collar from genuine leather on a soft lining.

In case your puppy gets lost, he should have the address tag with your phone number.

Play

For games, puppies need a company. And their favorite partner will always be their owner. Your dog will invite you to play even when he grows up. During the walk start playing with the puppy only after he has fulfilled his natural needs, otherwise, having played, he will forget about them. Roll the ball, throw a stick, run with your puppy, because the game for dogs is both a pleasure and a training.

During this period, the puppies undergo intensive bone growth, so you need to give them the opportunity to move as much as they want. Let your puppy play with his friends. Communication with other dogs is an important element of pet socialization. However, very carefully conduct acquaintance. Make sure the dogs are adequate and in good condition. If you have doubts about this, it is better to look for another company for the puppy. The game with peers will help the puppy to quickly get used to communicating with other dogs.

Communication means not only games with other dogs, but also closer interaction with the owner. It will allow you to establish better contact with your pet, which will help you to understand each other well in the future.

For more tips and photos, follow us on Instagram – Anna, Philippe, Chipi.