Making dog walks more interesting

Dog walking is essential for your dog’s exercise needs, but there is much more to dog walks than just the physical requirement! It’s a brilliant opportunity to spend dedicated time with your canine companion. Walks give your dog the chance to experience a whole host of different sounds, smells, and sights. As lovely as this all is, sometimes you might wonder if your dog is becoming a little bored on their daily walk. 

Ways to make your walks more fun

• Take a toy or two out with you. This is particularly good if you are walking in a wide-open space. Balls and frisbees are a lot of fun for your dog and get them running around – also useful if you are a little short of time and want to maximise their exercise.
• Treats are great to carry on a walk. Useful for any training, a reward for good recall, or just as a mid-walk treat for your dog!
• If possible it’s a good idea to vary the mix of environments that you walk in. Try and mix up your walking areas – depending on your local area, you might be able to include streets and urban areas, woodland, parks, or maybe even the beach.
• If your dog enjoys swimming this can also be a fun activity to incorporate into your walk.
• If you don’t have time to try different dog walks, even walking your usual route in reverse will provide some much-needed variation. 
• Feeling stuck in a rut? Ask friends or local social media groups for other’s walk recommendations – you might find some hidden gems that become new favourites.

Dog walks at dusk

In the cooler months of the year, you might find that many more of your walks take place at dawn or dusk. While it might feel hard to drag yourself out of a cosy bed, or head out after work as the light fades, it’s a great time for your dog. Dogs are crepuscular animals – meaning that dawn and dusk are the times of day when they are naturally at their most active. This also explains why your dog can often seem so energetic early in the morning, or extra lively after their evening meal!

If you are walking in low light or the dark, it’s wise to think about safety for you and your dog. You need to make sure that you and your dog can see and be seen to keep you safe from any vehicles and also so that you know where your dog is. High vis clothing is really useful, as well as a glowing collar and definitely a torch. A torch will also be useful if you’re walking on uneven ground that may be harder to navigate in low light. 

So every now and then, try out a new walk or some of the other suggestions, have fun, and enjoy watching your dog getting the most out of their walk.

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