‘I’ve heard a lot of horror stories’: Why walking your dog could be risking your health

They’re a human’s best friend. Until they’re not.

The rising physical and financial toll of dog walking-related injuries has been laid bare in new research which says women and people aged over 65 run the biggest risk of being hurt while walking their beloved canines, due to osteoporosis, poor balance and failing eyesight.

A UK review of five studies puts the financial cost of wrist and hand injuries linked to dog walking as high as $48 million annually, according to the journal Injury Prevention. But Australian experts say picking the right breed, committing to training and common sense can lower the risk of harm.

Jo Goddard tore her rotator cuff as a result of walking her dog, Charley.Credit: Dean Sewell

Australian Hand Therapy Association occupational therapists and physiotherapists say they are treating owners for significant soft tissue injuries and broken bones when leads tangle around fingers and legs.

“The bulk of injuries to owners do not occur with a known reactive dog, but when an unexpected behaviour or incident occurs,” says Brisbane-based hand therapist Joy Hanna.

Hanna says dog walkers should avoid isolating a single finger on a lead, instead using a cylindrical grasp with the lead across the palm of their hand. People with arthritis or reduced grip strength should opt for a bigger handle on their leash as it requires less grip strength.

“Know your and your dog’s limitations. If you’re not steady on slippery ground without a dog in tow, you certainly won’t be with a dog, no matter how placid they are,” she says. “Where possible use your words rather than your hands and upper limbs to control the dog’s behaviour.”

A year on and Jo Goddard, of Balmain in Sydney’s inner west, is still recovering from a torn rotator cuff from cavoodle Charley’s constant yanking.

“It progressively got sorer. I went to my GP and then I had a scan, so they sent me off for some cortisone,” she says.

Charley, now 4½, is better trained, and Goddard carries treats to help with control.

She says her GP told her such injuries were quite common.

Chris Kabay (left) and his partner, Bruce Facey, researched dog breeds before settling on their schnauzer, Sybil.Credit: Eddie Jim

“I’ve heard a lot of horror stories. Dogs walking under the feet of their owners and a lot of people running with their dogs getting tripped over,” she says.

Lort Smith Animal Hospital, in Melbourne, says it’s important for people to make the right choice of breed for their age and stage of life.

“An elderly person probably should not have a big, boisterous active dog unless they are going to be able to be active with it,” vet Tina Chen says.

“It depends on the person, but a young, large active breed like a big staffy or German shepherd, may not suit someone frail who could easily get pulled over if it suddenly pulled.”

Sybil’s owners, Chris Kabay and Bruce Facey, researched before they landed on the schnauzer, now eight years old, to ensure they could cope with the breed.

Living in inner Melbourne, they take Sybil to a popular Richmond off-leash area.

“We go to the dog park and there are people with big dogs they can’t control. If you can’t control the dog, it is the wrong dog for you,” Kabay says.

“People are often not present and on their phones, which is when accidents can happen to their dogs, someone else’s dog or an owner.”

Kabay with Sybil. She is banned from the kitchen when cooking is going on at home, because she poses a trip hazard.Credit: Eddie Jim

Kabay says Sybil used to pull on the leash, until they experimented with different leashes and harnesses.

“Sybil is banned from the kitchen when we are cooking because we don’t want to be tripping over her,” he says.

Chen recommends avoiding retractable leads as they are potential trip hazards.

“They are terrible because you don’t have control over your dog. You want the leash to be comfortable in your hand. I avoid ones that have a chain as you need to be able to grip it,” she says.

She suggests a leash of two to three metres. She also recommends a comfortable, non-restrictive harness to attach the lead and a clip at the front is useful if the dog tends to pull.

“Don’t wrap it around your wrist. Hold it in your palm and fold it in your hand to let the dog go in and out.”

Melbourne Hand Rehab says dogs are a tripping hazard for people who are multitasking on phones and not concentrating.

“We’ve all been in a park and watched two massive dogs running around like crazy with no regard for their surroundings. Unfortunately, many people and particularly those in the older age brackets, are hospitalised because a large dog has bowled them over,” it says.

Corey Irlam, acting chief executive of the Council on the Ageing Australia, says while walking the dog is a great away to stay active at any age, it’s important to make sure you are walking safely.

“It’s all about staying active, independent, and connected to the things we love,” he says.

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