January: National Walk Your Pet Month

national walk your pet month walking the dog dog walk

New Year, New Routine

Happy New Year from all of us here at WPVS Springfield! As we enter 2022, many of us are setting goals, making changes, and pushing forward with optimism. At WPVS, we aim to bring more content to our audience this year, and that starts here in the Keeping Up with the WPVS Family blog.

As the title suggests, January is National Walk Your Pet Month. As many of us tend to have health-centered New Years Resolutions, it really is a no-brainer that we would cover this topic this month. Therefore, in the spirit of tradition, let’s talk about how you and your dog can grow closer and get healthier together through daily walking, starting TODAY!

Firstly, we should discuss the benefits of walking your dog daily. Walking your dog daily is one of the best ways to keep both you and your pet healthy. One obvious reason is simply the exercise – calories out. Weight management is a struggle that many of us are all-too-familiar with, and daily walks are an easy and highly beneficial way to manage weight and body condition.

Daily walks are also important for joint health. As both dogs and humans get older, being sedentary can be detrimental to joint function. Daily activity is absolutely imperative for preventing joint issues down the road.

The mental/emotional health benefits from daily exercise are well-documented. This, again, applies to both you and your dog. Dogs get bored, and taking a walk is a tremendously helpful way to exercise both the body and the mind. While it may seem like a chore to you, it is one of the most interesting experiences your dog has each day. Exploring the neighborhood, watching the squirrels, the birds, and the people around you, the interesting smells – it’s fantastic mental stimulation for your dog that they will be so grateful for.

Conquer your New Years Health Resolutions this year by adding this simple and rewarding task to each day. Your body will thank you, your best friend will thank you, and you will both feel better and closer than ever as a result!