When walking the dog becomes just another thing on your to-do list, it can be easy to rush through it simply to get it done and check it off.
This is totally understandable when we can often be incredibly busy – it’s just one more thing to need to do. But it can be incredibly rewarding to take time to simply stop and take in your surroundings when you’re on a walk with your pup alongside you. It’s one way to help keep dog walks fun, and is potentially improving your dog’s behavior and making you feel more relaxed at the same time, it’s a win-win!
Professional dog trainer and behavioral consultant Amelia Steele, or Amelia the Dog Trainer, has explained all we need to know in a new Instagram post, so let’s take a look.
“How often on a walk do you just stop, and look at what’s around you, and just hang out with your dog?” asks Steele to begin her video. “Well, what if I told you this is a really, really easy way to boost your dog’s behavior and make the walk more relaxing for you?”
She explains that, often, we forget to slow down during our walks, when stopping and spending time either taking in our surroundings or playing small games with our pups to calm them can really help. Doing so can slow down our walks, and get our dogs in the best headspace, stopping the continuation of anxiety and adrenaline that can often run through a walk.
Playing on a walk is really important, and ideally, each walk you enjoy with your pup should have an element of it, whether they’re playing with you or with other dogs. Playing can help focus a distracted dog and give them the chance to let off steam, too, which could lead to a more fruitful walk as a whole.
Remember, too, that dogs love to sniff. If you decide to stop and relax for a while, it’s a great opportunity for your dog to get the mental stimulation that sniffing provides, helping them to understand their world – for more about the benefits of sniffing, this article is an interesting read: I tried a 45-minute 'sniffari', and it tired out my border collie more than a two-hour hike!
If you’d like to stop more frequently but your pup is a leash puller, meanwhile, you might find this article from a fellow dog parent insightful: My dog’s leash pulling made walks miserable until I helped her reactivity, here’s how.
