To be honest, at first sight, seeing dog parents pushing their dogs in specially designed, high-end, dog strollers, may seem weird and unusual. For most people, especially people who do not have dogs, dog strollers are quite peculiar. Even a large number of devoted and responsible dog parents consider dog strollers to be overprotective and unnecessary luxuries. In fact, the whole concept of dog strollers seems uncommon and new.
However, if you are a dog parent and enjoy spending quality outdoors time with your furry baby, there should be no limitations to how you will spend that time. Whether you will walk with your dog or push it in a stroller around the block is totally up to you and depends on your dog’s needs. Since many dogs cannot enjoy regular walks due to reasonable causes, even veterinarians recommend using dog strollers.
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Table of Contents
PROS AND CONS OF DOG STROLLERS
When judging the necessity of a certain product, it is only reasonable to evaluate both its pros and its cons.
Pros
The simplest way of classifying the benefits of dog strollers is stating that there are dogs who need dog strollers, people who need dog strollers and situations that require dog strollers.
Dogs who need dog strollers
Several types of dogs would benefit from using a stroller. Those include:
- Elderly dogs – die to age related issues with bones and muscles, old dogs are not very mobile. However, in spite of their walking disabilities, they still enjoy spending time outdoors.
- Injured dogs – dogs that are recovering from certain conditions and unable to walk on their own should still be taken outside. Spending time outdoors may lift their spirits and help them recuperate faster.
- Paralyzed dogs – even though they are unable to walk, they can still see, smell and feel different influences and experiences from the outside environment.
- Sick dogs – dogs that are too weak to walk on their own can be easily transported in dog strollers.
- Rescued dogs – fostered and adopted dogs may not be trained to walk on a leash. Additionally, walking among big crowds can make them feel unsafe and uncomfortable. On the other hand, the stroller provides a safe and cozy place.
- Dogs with heartworm disease – to prevent further damages, dogs suffering from this pesky parasite should be inactive for several months.
- Dogs with hip dysplasia – this conditions prevents dogs from enjoying the outside due to impaired and painful walking.
People who need dog strollers
Several categories of people would benefit from using a stroller. Those include:
- The elderly – a dog on a leash is a potential hazard for elderly people. If the dog gets distracted it can start pulling and accidentally injure its walker.
- The physically impaired – people with some types of physical impairment may find it hard to navigate a dog on a leash.
- Dog parents with multiple dogs – walking multiple dogs on multiple leashes can be messy, especially if the leashes tangle. In addition, different dog have different requirements for physical activity. Having a stroller allows the less active dog to rest, while the more active one still walks or runs.
Situations that require dog strollers
There are also situations that require using a dog stroller. Those include:
- Urban and busy settings – keeping the dog contained in its stroller is more practical than bumping into people.
- Temperature extremes – too hot and too cold weathers are not suitable for regular walks.
Cons
Lack of exercise
Using pet strollers instead of regular walks, reinforces sedentary lifestyles. Physical activity is crucial for maintaining healthy body weight and preventing obesity. Therefore, using dog strollers promotes obesity and increases the risk of developing obesity related health issues (such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and certain types of cancer).
Lack of socialization
Dogs are social animals and thrive on meeting, greeting and playing with friends. Dog strollers represent a physical barrier that prevent the dog from interacting with other dogs. Using a dog stroller for socially active and friendly dogs can be quite hard on them. Another problem is using the dog stroller for young puppies who need proper socialization. If constantly in the stroller, these dogs will not be able to socialize with other dogs, as well as unknown people.
Space consuming tools
Simply put, dog strollers take too much space. Whether stored in the closet or used on the street, they are bulky and space consuming. Even though most dog strollers can be packed for easier storage they are not very suitable especially for small apartments. Additionally, navigating a bulky stroller through crowded streets and sidewalks can be hard and stressful for the dog parent.
Things to consider before buying a dog stroller
Before buying a dog stroller, you need to consider several factors:
- The reason why you need a dog stroller – depriving a young and perfectly healthy dog from walking and running is not fair. Therefore the decision to use a dog stroller should be well-based. If not sure whether your dog can benefit from a dog stroller, talk to your trusted vet and ask for advises. In addition of why, you also need to consider when and how often you will use the stroller.
- The size of your furry pouch – the size of the stroller must perfectly fit the size of the dog it is intended for. If the stroller is too small, your dog will feel trapped and uncomfortable. On the flip side, if the stroller is too big, the dog will slide back and forth.
- The number of furry pouches that will use the stroller – there are spacious dog strollers specifically designed to sustain more than one dogs. In spite of being more spacious, they also have multiple leash attachments. In order to withstand tougher usage, multi-pet strollers are usually made of higher grade materials.
As previously stated, the whole concept of dog strollers is rather peculiar. However, perhaps the term peculiar is not quite right. When watching from the side, we must agree that is not an everyday sight to see a dog parent pushing a dog stroller in the park. Nevertheless, for dog parents who have seen, felt and experienced the benefits, dog strollers have to offer, using them is not uncommon at all. In fact, for those dog parents, dog strollers are a necessary tool for proper dog care, just like food and water bowls, grooming products and collars.
Therefore, when defining the concept of dog strollers, it would be reasonable to replace the term peculiar with new. So…the concept of dog strollers is new… and it will definitely take some time to get used to them.
All in all, just because something is new and unusual, it does not mean it should not be accepted. After all, there are dog parents who cannot imagine their daily dog routine without a dog stroller.
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