So that's our philosophy in a nutshell. We want to reintroduce your dog to environments that are natural to them, which aims to be both physically challenging and emotionally restorative. This has numerous benefits for Fido, and for you! So, now that you have a rough idea of our philosophy here at Trailheads and Tails, we want to list just a few of the many benefits of a program as unique as our Dog Walking. 

 

RELEASES PENT UP ENERGY

           When dogs are not adequately exercised, this can lead to a plethora of problems. The most common one being bad behavior. This is mostly due to boredom and lack of mental stimulation. It can manifest in the form of aggression, chewing, "accidents" in the house, restlessness, poor leash manners, etc. With a program that combines physical challenge with mental stimulation, your dog will be able to release excess energy, allowing them to be relaxed and well-behaved when you get home.

 

REDUCES THE FOCUS ON LEASH-PULLING

          One of the biggest complaints that we hear at Trailheads and Tails is that our customers' dogs have terrible leash manners. They pull it, bite at it and drag you down the street to chase napkins blowing carelessly in the wind. But don't worry, we've got your solution! With the Backbacking Program, the dogs are given a 'task' that they have to focus on. When they are concerned with the backpack, they don't pull on the leash. This also helps with off-leash recall.

 

GOOD FOR OVERALL HEALTH

         There are SO many health benefits to our program! (We get pretty excited about this part.) With frequent exercise, your dog will achieve a healthy weight, which includes toned muscles and weightloss. Also, the increase in cardiovascular exercise will do wonders for their heart. Not to mention, the amount of water your dog is drinking will increase, which helps with the maintenance of healthy kidneys--which can be a common health problem for many inactive dogs.

 

FORGIVING ON JOINTS AND PAWS

         Concrete can be hard on dogs paws and joints. However, this problem can be reduced greatly by hiking on dirt paths as well as by moving their joints in a wide range-of-motion. There have even been studies that show how hiking may decrease the effects of chronic Hip Dysplasia. Read more on that 

 

TIME-EFFECIENT 

         On an hour long off-leash pack hike with Trailheads and Tails, your dog could be running anywhere from 10-20 kilometers, between sprinting and running. This drains the dogs of their energy for the rest of the day. A half an hour urban street walk can't even come close to these results.

 

IMPROVES SOCIAL SKILLS

        Hiking trails are filled with passerbys. Adults, children, and other dogs are always near. This gives your dog time to work on his or her social skills. Whether on or off-leash they will get the chance to sniff out the others and learn how to interact with them. Sidewalks are an awkward place for this because they usually involve quick, short-leash enounters where they don't get the full experience needed to feel comfortable with the strange person/child/dog etc. 

 

           Well there you have it! For all of these reasons and more, we believe that adventure-based hikes are definitely the way to go if you want a well-exercised, calm and happy dog. If you still need convincing, let your dog try a risk-free complementary one-hour walk, and we promise the difference will make you a believer!