One of my favorite clients told me last week that he had just read that Turin Italy’s city council had passed a law that required dog owners to walk their pets three times a day or be fined.  I like that idea and here’s why.

Here is the post from Reuters:

ROME – Dog owners in Turin will be fined up to 500 euros ($650) if they don’t walk their pets at least three times a day, under a new law from the city’s council.

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I will admit that it’s a shame that something like this really has to be put into law, but every week when I talk to people who are having behavior problems with their dog and tell me that they "try to take the dog out two or three times a week for a walk" I can certainly understand where the Turin city council is coming from.  As I’ve said before and as I’ll say again, a walked and tired dog is a good dog.  They need the mental and physical stimulation as well as the obedience practice of walking on a leash to keep them happy.  You wouldn’t believe how many small behavior issues can be overcome by just exercising your dog for an hour a day.   I know it would be impossible to enforce the walking law here in the U.S. but I can sure get on board with the sentiment.

 The speech I’ve been giving people lately goes something like this.  Get your dog trained AT LEAST enough to be able to walk on a leash decently with you.  If you don’t do anything else do that!  Please.  It’ll make life so much more pleasant for you and it breaks the Catch 22 that goes like this….the dog is bad on the leash so I don’t walk it…so it’s bad on a leash so I can’t walk it…. Get it. 

 Take that first step even if you can only afford one lesson and have the trainer help you teach the dog to walk nicely and get out there and tire that pup out.

Steve Haynes
Austin Dog Trainer
Fidelio Dog Works
www.fideliodogblog.com
512.231.8095