Walking with a leash.

Many dog owners have very well behaved dogs, and "reward" them by walking them off the leash.
This is not the best of practices for the dog's health and safety.
Even the best trained dogs can have moments of urgency. Depending on the dog, a squirrel, cat, or bird could make Lassie take off after them. The danger is of the dogs running into the street, and possibly getting run over, or of them running away from you, the owner, and possibly getting lost. Also, there are a multitude if chemicals out on the street, from engine oil to Anti freeze, that your pup may lick up. A dog's tongue gives it a lot of information about other dogs, or the world around them, so it is natuiral for a them to want to lick things, just to check them out. A tongue full of anti freeze can cause serious injury, or even death. A dog not on a leash can go to a foreign puddle and lap it up before you get to it.
If this is a smaller dog, there is always the danger that a larger dog will see it and try to attack it, chasing it away, and leaving you helpless to do anything to protect your beloved canine.
Another thing we usually don't think about when it comes to the leash is the connection it gives us to our dogs. They, after all, look to us for guidance and leadership. Your energy dictates to your dog how it should behave more then your words ever could, and during the walk, that leash acts like a conduit, allowing your energy to flow down to your pup and let it know what you are thinking.
A bit metaphysical, I know, but you get my point. It is your link to you pooch.
So, when going out for a walk, remember, it is in your dog's best interest to keep that leash on. Lead it, guide it, and most of all, keep it safe from harm.

Exercise and dog issues.

Chewing up shoes.
Tearing up furniture.
Chasing their tails.
Excessive licking, jumping, barking.
These are all signs of a bored dog.
We usually take them for granted, or think they are cute (like the tail chasing issue), However, these are NOT normal behaviors for a dog.
A wolf, which is the predecessor of our house dogs, do not do these things.
They do not chase their tails, or excessive lick each other. They don't bark all day long.
Why?
Well, there could be many reasons, but one of the most common is lack of exercise. We, as pet owners, need to take our dogs out for a nice, long, stimulating walk.
Stimulating?
Yes. Mentally stimulating. We have to give them a job, which is to follow us. If they are concentrating on that, their brains are getting a work out, as well as their body. People usually say they don't understand, since they let their dogs out into the yard to run around.
A yard is nothing more then a big kennel with no roof. There is no sense of migration in a yard, and this is of the utmost important to your dog. Cooped up at home all day with nothing to do, a dog will FIND something to do.... like tear up your curtains.
Why not? What else is there to do?
Give your dogs some exercise, make them work and think, and watch that neurotic dog come back to it's senses.

The Doggy Guru.
Helping you, help your dog.