Owning a dog comes with a lot of responsibility. Dogs are high-maintenance pets who require a lot of time, effort, attention, and patience. They love to be with their humans, whether it's while cuddling, playing, being fed, or simply laying there staring at them while being lazy. Dogs can't be left alone for really long periods of time; they're not super self-sufficient, and they basically rely on their owners to live healthy, happy lives. One big part of taking care of a dog is being able to take them on fairly regular walks. Dogs are curious and often energetic, and they love to explore with their owner, even if it's the same route every single time. Unfortunately, not everyone has time to do this every single day. A study from 2016 found that almost 50 percent of pet owners weren't walking their dogs regularly. So what happens if you don't walk your dog? Does it make you a bad pet owner, or is it actually not that big of a deal?
As annoying as it might be, walking your dog is pretty important, and should something you do all the time — like, daily. Of course, it's not always possible to walk your dog for hours at a time every day, and that's OK. But if you can't do it that often, you should be doing it at least a few times a week — and if you can't commit to walking your dog even once a week, then you might want to reconsider getting one as a pet.
We all have days (or weeks) where we're overwhelmed and super busy, and it feels nearly impossible to make the time to take the dog out for a leisurely stroll. But if you neglect a walk too often, your dog is the one who is going to suffer the negative effects... and that's probably not what you want.
Here's what happens if you don't walk your dog:
They don't get enough exerciese
They get bored
They don't learn how to be social
They don't learn about their environment
Their mind isn't kept as active
You don't take advantage of training moments
You both miss out on a bonding moment
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