Of course you need to regularly exercise your dog because it's good for the dog's overall health. What you may not know is that regular exercise is also a useful training tool for your dog. Dogs love to exercise and they love to spend time with their humans.

(We suggest this excellent resource: Cesar Millan's Mastering Leadership - Volumes 1-3.)

Giving a dog - especially a high-energy puppy - exercise will make them easier to train. Puggles are high-energy dogs, but they are also intelligent. The beagle in them is inquisitive and eager to learn.

Dogs that have been exercised are more likely to listen and obey. Walking the dog also gives you the opportunity to spend time with your pet. If you have children, dog walking can become a fun and relaxing way for the entire family - including your pet - to get some exercise and spend time together. Everyone will benefit!

Exercise will also help you keep your Puggle from using excess energy in the pursuit of destructive behaviors. A dog that is frustrated and has too much pent-up energy will dig, chew and destroy until they become a nuisance, not a valued and lovable member of the family.

Dogs need regular exercise to keep them from getting overweight and lethargic. Even if you have a large yard, where the dog is free to run, it quickly becomes boring. Most yards are not large enough to provide the kind of exercise a dog needs on its own. Don't think that a large yard substitutes for human interaction! You can tire your dog out by playing fetch, but you still need to go out and play fetch until the dog is too tired to continue. This, however, is not a substitute for walking. Walking socializes a dog to you and the neighborhood in which you live. It familiarizes your pet with the sights and smells of people and other animals in the neighborhood.

Regular walking and other exercise is essential to your dog's physical and mental health - and it's not so bad for you and your family, either!

Socializing your Puggle