BIRDSBORO PA – A human’s best friend can also be his or her fitness witness, in a dog-related program offered on the third Sunday of every month through December (2024). It’s available at the historic Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Rd.
The Daniel Boone Homestead Associates, a local non-profit organization comprised of the site’s volunteers and supporters, have brought back last year’s popular “Paws On The Path” event. The associates also eliminated an earlier requirement for advance registration; none is needed now.
Walk dates remaining for the year are Sept. 15, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, and Dec. 15.
The event is free. It is open to the public and what the associates describe as “their furry friends.” The homestead usually charges an admission fee. All dogs must be on a leash, and are expected to be well-behaved around other dogs. Paws On The Path is open to walkers without dogs, too.
About the Daniel Boone Homestead
The homestead is the 1734 birthplace of famed frontiersman Daniel Boone. It is located between Reading and Pottstown, one mile north of U.S. Route 422 near Baumstown. The site is owned by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, but its daily historic operations are operated by the associates organization.
Featured on the property is the Boone house, constructed in three stages throughout the 18th century. The 10-room stone structure is fully furnished appropriately to the period, and situated on 579 acres of rolling countryside.
For more information about the homestead, call 610-582-4900.
Purina advice on walking your dog
ST. LOUIS, MO. – Although walking your dog might appear to be a simple and straight forward task, St. Louis-based pet products manufacturer Purina suggests there are do’s and don’ts when you’re out an about with your animal.
Walks represent recreational and educational opportunities for both dogs and their owners, Purina reports on its website. They provide time “to play, practice training, bond with your dog, and for your dog to experience a mental and physical ‘change of scenery.’
On its to-do list for “a model dog walker”:
- Exercise common courtesy that benefits all walkers. Clean up after your dog, and properly dispose of any waste.
- Take a variety of high value treats with you. Use them to reward great recalls, walking nicely, and to keep your dog focused on you.
- Pay attention to your dog. Listen to it, talk to it, and interact with it.
- Play and train at various points along your walk. That will add interest, and to hone the dog’s training expectations.
- Vary your route as often as possible. That could mean walking a route in reverse, or simply on the other side of the road.
- Give other walkers a wide berth, particularly if they seem to be training their dog or in need of a bit more space.
- Recall your dog, and put its lead back on, when you see another animal or person.
On its to-avoid list:
- Don’t spend the walk looking at, or talking on, your phone.
- Don’t let your dog run up to other dogs without first asking the owner if it’s OK. Even if they say yes, reserve this for known ‘doggie friends.’
- Don’t spend the walk seeking out other dogs for your dog to play with, in an effort to tire it out.
- Don’t walk an in-season female in the most popular off-lead dog locations.
- Don’t expect your dog to be friendly to any or every other dog they see. Dogs are selectively social; some very much so.
- Don’t spend hours doing repetitive ball throwing. The exercise is damaging to joints and not particularly good for your dog’s brain, either. A dog can get over-aroused but physically tired, which can lead to behavior problems.
Top photo by Michał Robak on Unsplash; trail photo by Stephen Goldberg on Unsplash
Both used by Travels With The Post under license