All dogs need to be taken on  a daily walking excursion .  Having a walk every single day is absolutely necessary for  maintaining your dog's mental health . This is because dogs are 'travellers' by instinct . In the wild, dogs walk great distances - it's what they do as a daily  routine . You could think of walking as the dog's  actual purpose in life - it's their job . So,  it is actually not very kind of you not to take your dog for a long daily walk every single day . If we love our dogs , we owe it to  our dogs  to deliver on their daily need for a good, long dog walk  . Deprive them of the walks they need , and they literally go a bit nuts .

It doesn't matter so much what  ambulatory motion you are using to  take your dog out for a walk . Some people like to exercise themselves more strenuously by jogging alongside of  their dog,  pedalling on cycles , or even roller-blading if your dog is fit enough to  cope with the pace . 

 What is really important however is how you  go about walking your dog . You should be walking your dog, not letting your dog take you for a walk. Your dog  wants to feel that you are in charge . Don't let your dog walk in front of you , but  keep alongside you or bring up the rear . Dogs are  much happier when they know you are in  in the charge of the walking situation . If your dog is pulling on the lead and you are  surfing along at the rear , it's time to  rethink the way you go about dog walking. 

The decision to walk in front of your dog is all it takes to let your dog know that you are in  full control now. When your dog knows that you are  the one in control , it can relax and get on with enjoying the walk. Having no 'leader' causes your dog to feel stressed. This stress is often mistaken for excitement. Dogs should not be overly-excited about going for a walk. Dogs should feel quite ho-hum about  going out for a walk , as it is the most normal thing in the whole world for a dog to  engage in  .

If your dog gets over-excited about going for a walk , commence calming him down before you leave home . Many dog  lovers make the mistake of announcing to the dog that they are  up for 'walkies' as if it's a  very exciting or special  occurrence . This hyping-up in advance of  what's about to happen actually puts your dog in the wrong frame of mind  before you start out . Get your dog's thinking back on track by treating the walking routine as something very mundane .  Make your dog stay put and remain calm while you put on  his collar and lead or harness .

Don't  allow your dog  bolt through the front door once  you are ready to go . Make him  remain inside , until you are  out the door . Only then  permit your dog to come forward to you on the leash . Once you get going on your walk , keep the dog on a tight and firm leash to make sure that he heels at your side or  walks well back . It takes  a while for new habits to develop properly , but soon you and your dog will  become accustomed to the idea of you being 'boss of the walk' , and both of you will become more relaxed in the process .

 Many dog owners have neither the time or energy to take their dog walking every single day of the week . For people who  have tremendously busy lives or are unable to get out of the house for some reason , a professional dog walker is a great way to ensure your dog's mental and physical health . In most  locations you'll find dog walking services  on-hand to help keep up the daily dog walking regime .

If you can't  find a professional dog walking service , you may have  someone who wouldn't mind taking your dog for  outings  free-of-charge . If this is an option for you, be sure to teach the  helpful, well-meaning person how to  be the 'boss' of the dog during their walk . Remember they must  under no circumstances  allow the dog  charge ahead or pull forward on the leash during the walk, but always keep the dog  walking just a little to the rear in an inferior position .

 Walking your dog every day is  absolutely necessary for your dog to stay healthy, happy and sane.  Make a note of this advice and your daily dog walks will  increase your stamina and keep your dog mentally and physically in top shape , and keep your dog's view of your relationship in the right perspective .