By LEANNE ITALY
NEW YORK (AP) — The hugs. The loyalty. The adoring eyes. There are rejoice with the dognot least a brisk walk. And therein lies a danger that some dog owners needs to be more careful about.
Over the past 20 years, the variety of injuries sustained while walking dogs has increased amongst adults and youngsters within the United States, based on researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Broken bones, sprains and head injuries are amongst essentially the most common.
From 2001 to 2020, the estimated variety of adults treated in emergency rooms for dog-walking injuries rose significantly, from 7,300 to 32,300 per 12 months, lead researcher Ridge Maxson told the Associated Press. Most patients were women (75%). Adults ages 40 to 64 made up 47% overall.
And those are only emergency room visits. “We know that a significant number of people are treated for their injuries in primary care clinics, specialists or emergency departments,” Maxson said.
He noted that dog ownership is becoming more common, with about half of all U.S. households owning no less than one dog. The pandemic contributed to to the thorn.
How to guard yourself
Staying secure when walking a dog on a leash requires care, concentration and special precautions in bad weather. Multitasking may be dangerous. Put your phone away.
“You can't really afford to relax when you're walking a powerfully built dog with the torque of a small tractor. You have to be careful,” said Noel Holston, a dog owner from Athens, Georgia.
In the early 2000s, Holston was walking his 65-pound pit bull in a park near his home when a goose flapped its wings and screeched. The dog ran down a slope and knocked Holston, now 76, off the sidewalk.
“I lost my balance and struggled to stay on my feet. I stepped into a hole and heard my left ankle break. The pain was so intense, I almost fainted. My wife Marty had to flag down a jogger to help me get back to our car. My left foot was dangling like a big wet noodle,” he said.
Susannah Johnston, 64, is a yoga teacher and runs a 40,000-member Facebook group for ladies aimed toward improving balance, strength and the body's ability to soak up shock. She has injured herself 3 times while walking the dog over time.
About five years ago, her 50-pound Labrador mix chased a squirrel while Johnston knelt to stuff a sweater into her backpack, the leash wrapped around one hand, and broke a finger.
“That was the worst part because it was twisted and strained and I had to have surgery, rehab and everything else,” said Johnston, who lives within the New York City borough of Croton-on-Hudson.
Running with a dog on a leash is one other danger, irrespective of how well-behaved you’re thinking that the dog is. It is particularly dangerous with dogs which can be easily frightened, very young, or generally tend to run around wildly. That's what happened to Robert Godosky in Manhattan.
“We used to run the last block home,” he said. “There was a stretch of sidewalk where there was a scaffolding. My dog is a rescue dog and was relatively new to us. He got scared and ran in front of me and I flew over the dog and slammed into the scaffolding. I ended up breaking two ribs.”
There are additional dangers in rural areas, said Steven Haywood, an emergency room doctor in Corinth, Mississippi.
“Being hit by vehicles“, he said. “This is definitely the most life-threatening injury when people walk their dogs.”
In areas like his, many streets haven’t any sidewalks or wide shoulders. This is particularly dangerous when persons are wearing dark clothing and there aren’t any reflectors or lights on people or animals.
“This is something we see on a regular basis,” Haywood said.
The right shoes, leashes and more
In addition to lights and reflectors, there are other tools that may minimize the risks when walking your dog:
In snow and ice, wear suitable footwear with good tread. Consider wearing shoes with spikes or studs.
Maxson recommends using a non-retractable leash of 6 to eight feet. “Longer leashes are more likely to get tangled around your legs and cause falls. Retractable leashes can sometimes make it more difficult to control your dog.”
In San Francisco, dog trainer Shoshi Parks recommends an anti-pull harness with a leash that attaches to the dog's chest slightly than the back, she said. That gives the handler more control and puts less stress on the dog.
Parks recommends holding the leash near your center of gravity, near your torso, hip or thigh. Put your hand through the loop of the leash and grab it a bit lower all the way down to hold it in place.
She calls retractable leashes a “no-go.” Period. They may cause burns if held too near the body, in the event that they extend or retract quickly.
Dog handlers and dog trainers
People with limited mobility or balance problems should seek help when walking their dog, especially in bad weather, equivalent to a neighbor, an older child or an expert dog walker.
Johnston, Haywood and Maxson agreed that balance and strength training exercises might help reduce the chance of falls and fractures, especially for older adults.
And they said that working with a dog trainer helps not only the dog but additionally the handler, who can learn to higher understand their pet's body language.
“Even young, healthy, strong people can have difficulty controlling larger breeds of dogs that are not used to walking on a leash. Any exercise that builds strength and balance will help,” Haywood said. “Make sure you have control of the dog you are walking.”
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