Stay Healthy and Get Moving by Walking Dogs (Article)

You may have heard that dog owners tend to have happier and healthier lives than people without pets. Unfortunately, we’re not all able to have pets; but we may have a great alternative for you! It turns out, dog owners and dog walkers enjoy many of the same health benefits. Walking dogs can help you live a longer, more successful life (and make you big money too).

Being around dogs gives you a great mental boost

Had a bad day? Just think, you can walk in the door to see a dog’s sweet face and pick up their leash to melt the day away. Here’s why a wagging tail is so good for your mood: seeing a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol—even after just a short period of time. Couple that with the physical health benefits, and you have a recipe for a happy, healthy life.

Walking improves your physical health

Walking helps you build strong bones and muscles, improve your balance and coordination, maintain a healthy weight, and manage health conditions like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. So what makes walking even better? A cute dog, of course.

Being outside improves your well-being

Do you love nature almost as much as you love dogs? Not only does walking dogs give you an excuse to hit the trail, but it can also improve your well-being (and give you tons of great Instagram photos).

It gives you time to take care of yourself

Have you ever regretted not exercising? We’ve been there. On the other hand, have you ever regretting exercising? Unless you went overboard on the squat rack, probably not. Simply put, walking dogs allows you to easily put your health front and center in your life. If your not sure where to walk, have search on Visorando for some routes to suit you.

Bonus: regular walking helps dogs live longer too

52.5% of U.S. dogs are overweight or obese. Not surprisingly, regular walks help dogs maintain a healthy weight. And it has tons other health benefits too, including improving digestion and reducing unwanted behaviors like chewing, digging, or scratching. And our favorite: regular walks could help build a dog’s confidence and trust by exposing them to other humans and animals around them. So the next time you take your favorite dog client for a walk, know that you’re giving them some of the best parts of their day and helping them live longer.

Become a Dog Walker on Rover

If you love getting outside and meeting cute dogs, Rover—the nation’s largest community of dog walkers—could be great a great fit for you. See if you qualify to become a dog walker on Rover today, and start making $1,000 or more per month. (Curious about what you can charge? Here are rates of top dog walkers in Austin and top dog walkers in Miami.) Being a Rover dog walker allows you to stay healthy, get moving, and get paid—all while doing something you love.