If you hadn’t heard, May is National Walking Month in the UK. We all know the importance of walking your dog daily or even several times a day depending on the breed. The health benefits for the dog and for the dog walker cannot be underestimated. However, sometimes walking the dog can feel like a bit of a chore. Reaching that point can mean that not only are you stuck in a rut, but it is highly likely that your dog is feeling the same way. For your dog, going on a walk doesn’t just improve his physical health, but gives mental stimulation too. If you and your dog have taken the same walks for most of the winter because of weather and daylight constraints, why not mix things up this spring? We’ve got seven suggestions to help to put a bit of a spring back in your step and to make walking your dog fun again.
Visit pastures new
By this, we don’t necessarily mean walking your dog in a different field. What we do recommend is trying a different route for your walk. Sticking to the same route day in and day out is going to get tedious. If you live in a city and you normally turn right when leaving the house, why not turn left and explore different areas of the city? For those who drive, why not take Fido a bit further afield before starting your walk. Install your Travall Guard and Divider and head for a walk near the canal, river, park, nature reserve – or whatever you have within easy driving distance. Getting to these locations may take a bit longer than your usual route, but all offer interest and something different for you and your dog to explore.
Vary the speed
If your walk is normally a slow-paced plod around your village, why not take a different approach? Dogs love to run too and altering the speed of your walk can help boost your own fitness levels. Why not jog for a couple of minutes, reduce to a walk for a couple and then jog again for a few minutes, continuing the “walk” in the same manner. For those new to running, check with your veterinarian and your doctor before embarking on this type of exercise.
Take to the hills
Walking up inclines or slopes is another way to boost fitness in you and your dog. If you have hills near you, or can easily drive to some, this could be a great way of adding variety when walking your dog.
Add in obstacles
Find an area near you that has obstacles that your dog can climb on, balance on and jump off. Somewhere with tree stumps or rocks is perfect for this.
Meet other dogs
When your dog was a puppy you probably focussed on trying to socialise him with other dogs. This should continue as your dog grows older too. Just like people, dogs need to have contact with others. Why not head to a dedicated dog park once in a while so your dog can play with other friends. Or arrange a walk with another dog owner so the dog pals can explore together.
Allow exploration
Try not to see walking your dog as a chore you need to get over and done with. Allow your dog extra time to sniff during different parts of the walk and explore what is around him in the environment. Being able to sniff what is around him is what makes a walk more interesting for your dog. It’s also a fantastic way of stimulating your dog mentally, which will reduce boredom, anxiety and reduce destructive behaviours.
Engage with your dog more
We’ve all seen people pounding the pavements walking their dogs but with very little interaction going on between the dog and the owner. This isn’t particularly fun for the dog or the owner. Instead, why not give your dog commands at intervals along the walk? Reward eye contact with occasional treats. If you’re at a park, add in some ball play if your dog is interested in playing fetch.
If you have techniques to liven up your daily walking routine that you’d like to share, we’d love to hear them. In the meantime, enjoy walking your dog this month.
