Did someone say, “W-A-L-K”? Whether you’re exploring a new trail or hitting your tried-and-true neighborhood loop, taking regular walks with your dog can have many positive effects on her health—and yours.

Here are the top six reasons you should add a stroll with your best friend to your daily routine:

It’s a fact: pets are expensive. According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), it is estimated that pet owners will spend $72 billion on their pets in 2018. That number includes expenses such as food, medication, supplies, and veterinary care—and if your pet is insured, you could get a significant portion of those out-of-pocket costs covered.

Ticks are the vampire of the pet world. They latch onto your dog or cat, attach themselves and suck their blood until they’re engorged with your pet’s blood. Then they fall off and rest until they’ve digested their meal.

What happens next is they may quietly die, or they may feel ready for another feeding. It depends on the life cycle of the tick, the type of tick, and other such factors.

What’s that SMELL? Many pet owners are stumped the first time they notice the pungent, fishy odor coming from their pet. While dogs have the most problems with their anal glands, even cats can have issues.

If you’re like a lot of dog owners, you’re used to a certain set of vaccines. When they’re due, they’re due, and you (along with your veterinary team) consider them part of a standard preventive care routine.

You get a reminder email, text, or postcard -- your dog or cat is due for a vaccine or two. Time to make an appointment! You arrive for a simple visit with your healthy pet, and then a Licensed Technician or even the doctor begins a full, thorough exam.

You might be surprised to discover how common dog worms are in the environment. In fact, some sources say most dogs - even healthy dogs -- host a low level of worms nearly all the time. After all, your dog goes outside, probably eats questionable substances on occasion, and may be known to roll in smelly areas. Since dog worms are often in the dirt (or in whatever else is in the dirt!), or are transmitted by fleas or mosquitos, you can see how it wouldn’t be a surprise that your dog could have worms.

If your dog went missing, how would you try to find him? Post “lost” notices on electrical poles and on Facebook? Comb the neighborhood calling for your dog and looking at your phone every three seconds in case someone found him? Call your shelter to ask if anyone had found him and taken him to the shelter?

While all of these are viable -- and common -- practices, there are a few ways you can increase the odds that you'll be reunited with your pooch should the unthinkable happen.