(New York) The cuddles. The loyalty. The adoring glances. There is much joy in owning a dog, including the joy of going for a quick walk. And therein lies a danger that some dog owners should pay more attention to.
Over the past 20 years, dog-walking injuries have increased among adults and children in the United States, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Fractures, sprains and head injuries are among the most common.
From 2001 to 2020, the estimated number of adults treated in emergency rooms for dog-walking-related injuries increased significantly, from 7,300 to 32,300 per year, lead researcher Ridge Maxson told The Associated Press.
Most patients were women (75%). Adults between 40 and 64 years old accounted for 47%.
And that’s just the emergency room visits. “We know there are a significant number of people who could be seeking treatment in primary care, specialty or urgent care clinics for their injuries,” Maxson said.
Dog ownership has become increasingly common, he noted, with about half of American households having at least one dog. The pandemic has contributed to that increase.
How to protect yourself
Staying safe while walking a dog on a leash requires diligence, focus, and, in inclement weather, extra precautions. Multitasking can be dangerous. Put your phone away.
“You can’t really relax when you’re walking a powerful dog that has the strength of a small tractor. You have to be careful,” said Noel Holston, a dog owner in Athens, Georgia.
In the early 2000s, Noel Holston was walking his 65-pound pit bull in a park near his home when a goose flapped its wings and screeched. The dog bolted down an embankment, jerking Holston, now 76, off the sidewalk.
“Off balance and struggling to keep my footing, I stepped into a hole and heard my left ankle snap. The pain was so intense I nearly passed out. My wife, Marty, had to call a jogger to help me get back to our car. My left foot was hanging like a big wet noodle,” he said.
Susannah Johnston, 64, is a yoga teacher who runs a 40,000-member Facebook group for women aimed at improving balance, strength and the body’s ability to absorb shock. She has injured herself three times walking her dog over the years.
PHOTO VINCENT COHAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Susannah Johnston, a yoga and fitness instructor, was injured three times in incidents while walking her dog.
About five years ago, her 50-pound Labrador mix dog attacked a squirrel while Susannah Johnston was on her knees putting a sweater in her backpack, the leash wrapped around one hand. She fractured a finger.
“It was the worst because it was twisted and pulled and I had to have surgery, rehabilitation and everything,” Mr.me Johnston, who lives in Croton-on-Hudson, New York.
Running with a dog on a leash is another danger, no matter how well trained you think a dog is.
This is especially dangerous with a dog that is easily startled, very young or prone to lunging. This is what happened to Robert Godosky in Manhattan.
“We used to run the last block to get home,” he said. “There was a stretch of sidewalk that had scaffolding on it. My dog is a rescue dog and was relatively new to us. He got scared and got in front of me, and I flew over the dog and hit the scaffolding. I ended up breaking two ribs.”
There are other dangers in rural areas, said Steven Haywood, an emergency room physician in Corinth, Mississippi.
Getting hit by vehicles, he said. That’s probably the most fatal injury people have when they’re walking their dogs.
Steven Haywood, emergency physician
Areas like his have many roads without sidewalks or wide shoulders. It’s especially dangerous when people wear dark clothing without reflectors or lights on humans or animals.
“It’s something we see regularly,” Steven Haywood said.
Shoes, leashes and more
In addition to lights and reflectors, there are other pieces of equipment that can minimize the risks associated with dog walking.
One can wear suitable shoes with decent soles in snow and ice or wear crampons.
Mr. Maxson suggests using a non-retractable leash that is 6 to 8 feet long.
Longer leashes are more likely to get tangled around your legs and cause falls. Retractable leashes can sometimes make your dog more difficult to control.
Ridge Maxson, researcher at Johns Hopkins University
In San Francisco, dog trainer Shoshi Parks recommends a no-pull harness with a leash attached to the dog’s chest rather than its back, she said. This gives the walker more control and puts less pressure on the dog.
She suggests holding a leash at your center of gravity, near your torso, hip, or thigh. Slip your hand through the loop of a leash and grab it a little lower to hold it.
She believes that retractable leashes should be avoided. Period. They can cause burns if held too close to the body, or if they extend or retract quickly.