Why Must I Walk My Dog?

There are many people who would like to adopt dogs but do not want to walk their dogs, at least not regularly. Walking their dogs, they feel, is an activity to do "when the mood strikes". At the very most, they take the dogs out on the weekends or on holidays, as if the walk were a luxury for the dogs, rather than a necessity. It has made us so paranoid that we may be sending our dogs to a life of imprisonment that we are hesitant to paper or pee-pad train our dogs!

Despite popular belief, the walk is not just so the dogs can go potty. So it does not matter if the dog is housebroken or if the dog has a large garden to do his business in. The dog may be a domesticated animal, but they still have some primal instincts. One of these is the need to walk. The dog, no matter how small, coiffed and cute he may be, is the descendant of the grey wolf. Wolves are nomads by nature and spend up to a third of their time on the move, sometimes covering more than 150km in search of food. This wanderlust is deeply ingrained in a dog's DNA. While the story of the lone wolf has been romanticized in stories, the wolf is mostly a pack animal. This pack mentality has also been passed on to the dog. Ever noticed how your dog gets really excited before a walk? This is a remnant of the pack behaviour from their wolf ancestors, where they exhibit the same excited behaviour as they work up adrenaline before a hunt. 

  

While letting a dog run around the garden or at a dog run is good exercise, they are not substitutes for walking the dog. These activities do not provide the same mental stimulation a dog gets by investigating every sight, smell and sound on a stroll. A garden, no matter how big, is still a prison if the dog is not allowed outside the 4 walls. Can you imagine being on house arrest even if home was a large mansion? Can you blame dogs for developing neurotic behaviours if they get put on doggy house arrest for most, if not all, of their lives? 

Walking a dog helps socialise the dog. The dog will get to meet other dogs and people on the trail. Even if the dog does not get to meet any other dogs on her walk, she will still learn about the other dogs who have been through the area by their pee. Dogs checking other dogs' pee is like humans checking updates on Facebook. This allows the dog to find out about who the other dog is, and what he has eaten that day and if he is feeling under the weather or not. All this information just from a sniff!

Regardless of whether there are other dogs in the family, the dog is still a pack animal. The humans in the household become part of the pack. Where along the hierarchy the humans fall into is dependent totally on the humans themselves. Walking the dog the right way helps to establish the human as the leader of the pack. The dogs will fall into place as long as the leader position is assumed. Otherwise, the dog may start to assert himself over the human if he feels that he has no leadership. This is the start of most, if not all, of a dog's behavioural issues. A well-walked dog is a well-behaved dog. Not only does the walk provide the dog with physical and mental stimulation and leave the dog contentedly tired, it also helps establish the human as the leader in this relationship. 

The best part about walking a dog? It helps cultivate bonding between the human and the dog. Spending time with your dog discovering new places and sharing experiences strengthens and enriches your relationship with your dog. Not to mention that walking the dog has an indirect benefit of keeping you active and healthy!

So take hold of that leash and walk on, pack leader. May your walk be full of discoveries and wonders for both you and your dog!

Written by : Sam

Adopt, Don't Shop!

"Let’s get that Chihuahua, or Silky Terrier, or how about that Teacup Poodle?"

Walk into any pet shop and you are bound to hear people repeat questions like this all the time. It saddens us when the decision to get a family pet hinges on the condition of the potential pet being purebred.

Lucky Pearl and her forever love

Since racism is frowned upon in the human world, why can't we also stop the stereotype that only purebred dogs are desirable? These unfortunate purebred dogs on display are mostly bred in pet farms under dire health conditions, and the dogs used as "baby ovens" to churn out puppies are often found to be grossly neglected, abused and in extremely poor health.

AVA recently implemented guidelines on proper pet farm practices, but when secret checks were conducted, they found that the majority of pet farm operators still do not adhere to these guidelines. For every dog that you coo over in the glass display, there are many unseen and suffering ones in the pet farms. Stop supporting the dog breeding industry so that fewer dogs have to suffer!

Wang Wang and his siblings

Instead, walk into any dog shelter and you'll see there are hundreds of healthy, fun-loving and equally adorable dogs looking for a home, at a fraction of the cost! They all have their own stories to tell and are pretty resilient after going through their ordeals. Some have big personalities, some prefer to hide between your ankles, some are so docile you can leave your babies with them unattended, some are the perfect exercise buddies and some are just happy to be your shadow. There are so many different characters to choose from and each one is unique in their own way.

Alfie and his mommy

Marley and his new family

Ariel Bean and her new sisters

All of HOPE's dogs are taken for a full comprehensive medical checkup, vaccinated, sterilized, microchipped, tested for parvo virus, distemper, kidney and liver functions (all costing almost $1000, sometimes more). That's more than most pet stores will do for their puppies for sale. We must say, we are extremely proud of what we do for these rescued dogs. Some know basic commands and with a little patience, can be taught all sorts of tricks. Some are taught to be little helpers around the house; fetching and putting away things, guarding the front door, entertaining children, and some are taught to be companions and healers, going around to people who need some cheering up. And then there are some who simply want to be your lapdog, jumping into your lap at every opportunity.

Muffin and her mummy

Amber and her Papa

One thing we know for sure, is that all rescued dogs are very thankful and appreciative of you opening your hearts and homes to them, and giving them a second chance at life. All lives are precious, be it big or small-sized. Adopt a rescued dog and save a life today!

Visit our adoption page to save a life.

Cassie Needs A Home

Introducing sweetest Cassie!!

Gorgeous

Gets on well with dogs

Cassie is friendly and sociable

Despite her size and height (she's like a little pony), Cassie is the sweetest, most gentle dog you will ever meet. Calm, elegant and polite. She is fun and playful when it's time to play, but also obedient and well-mannered when she needs to be. All you need is a soft NO and she drops what she is doing and behaves!

Cassie absolutely adores babies and young children

Cassie is estimated to be almost two years old and she's a rather good looking dog. She is adorable, sometimes goofy and her mannerisms will make you laugh. She keeps herself entertained with her toys and she loves her food and treats. She has no aggression with food and humans. She allows you to pat her, open her mouth, touch her while she is eating etc. – such is the sweet temperament of dear Cassie.

Her eyes light up whenever she is with children

We had rescued Cassie as a feral dog as she was found in a densely forested area, and we estimated that she would require at least 3 to 6 months of rehabilitation, if not more. How wrong we were! After a mere week, we realized she loved hanging out with other dogs and found strength and confidence just by being in their company. She watched them play with toys and observed their behaviour and mimicked them. This was a true eye opener for us as well, as we realized how our pack of dogs had taught Cassie confidence, courage, and how to behave like a pet dog. It was more than a human could ever teach.

In no time, her true colors emerged. We realized that she was just a big baby who loves to play, eat and sleep! She loves to play with toys and gets along with all dogs, even the smaller ones as she sees all dogs as her playmates.

Cassie's a pretty good swimmer

So good looking and obedient

If you want a sweetheart who is the size of a pony, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg 

Cassie is estimated to be almost 2 years old, a local crossbreed, female and in perfect health. 
*Not HDB approved.