Strolls. Adventures. Walks. Walkies. Whatever you want to call it, walks are a known staple of dog ownership. We've all heard about the necessity of getting your dog out for a walk for exercise, stimulation, and overall well-being.
But, let's be honest here - how many of us actually get out and take daily walks with our dogs? You may be surprised to note that even I (and many other trainers and dog people) don't even walk our dogs as often as you'd expect. So, I'm here to tell you to take a sigh of relief and stop feeling guilty for not walking your dog.
Instead, let's focus on what a walk provides, why those things are important, and how to integrate exercise into your dog's life in a way that maximizes benefits.
EXERCISE All animals need some sort of exercise to function and be healthy. (Yeah, ew.) But dogs have very wide variations in need for exercise based on their age, breed, and overall condition. Your neighbor's 15 year old wiry shih tzu probably doesn't need nearly as much exercise as your 2 year old lab, for example. Just like people, the amount of exercise is just as important as the type of exercise. It can be kind of confusing, so it's a good idea to research your breed (if you know it) and talk to your vet first. Rover.com has a interesting little calculator that can be used as a general guideline. A walk is good for working muscles and sniffers. However, for many dog owners, they can be an incredible frustration if your dog is needing some leash manners, or if you have your own limited ability to get out and walk. In general, no walk is actually better than a terrible walk. As long as your pup is still getting exercise. Here's some great alternatives to a typical walk that can still work your dog:
Fetch/frisbee
Fitness training
Trick training
Flirt pole (basically a cat toy - but for a dog! I LOVE them!)
Children's playgrounds as obstacle courses - (This is seriously one of my favorite exercise methods because there is SO much potential and variety in the type of skills your dog can learn!)
Dog sports (agility, dock diving, racing, obedience, canicross and so much more!)
Walk/run alongside a bike
MENTAL STIMULATION It's absolutely true that walks provide mental stimulation, but mental stimulation can come in SO many other forms. Basically everything you do with your dog that gets them thinking is mental stimulation. Mental work will often tire your dog just as much as physical work and it's key for smart dogs! If you want to take it up a notch, play some games, work on obedience, and even add in some tricks training if you're feeling fancy. Mental work for dogs:
Puzzle toys (can be bought at most pet retailers or make your own!)
Find it games (hide a favorite toy or some treats and ask your dog to find it.)
Obedience training
Tricks training
Change up locations for walks
Visit a dog friendly store or restaurant
So does all of this mean I never have to walk my dog?
Not technically - but with all the right mental stimulus and other appropriate exercise, you could get away with it...but walks are good for us too. Eliminating walks isn't really what we want to do. Rather, think of your overall goal with your walk and consider alternating the other types of exercise in with these categories of walks below:
1. Business walk -The shortest and most to-the-point type of walk. This is essentially just a potty break.
2. Sniffer walk/stroll - This is a walk where the goal is to let the dogs explore. I recommend parks and nature trails for this type of walk. Let your dog sniff! Let them take their time! The goal here is to let them wander and explore.
3. Working walk - A working walk is for training and paying attention to the owner. This is your general "everyday" type of walk for most people. The goal is to keep the dog engaged in the process of walking while still being attentive to you.
Now that you've got some more options in your pocket - get out there and do some stuff with your dog!
Have any questions? Want to work on your walking skills? Contact at treebark.training@gmail.com or book a consultation today!