Episode 2: Improve Your Dog Walks To Optimize Wellbeing

Hello everybody, and welcome to installment two of “Let’s Go for a Walk.” Today I am on another off-lead walk with my dogs, as you can see, and we are going to be discussing the enrichment benefits of going on walks.

Walks are one of the most underappreciated and underutilized forms of enrichment, in my opinion. A lot of people take their dogs on walks, and many people take their dogs out every day. The difference is that when people go on these walks, they are often working on obedience. The dog is expected to walk in a heel, sniffing is discouraged, and the dog is not really able to engage in species-appropriate behaviors.

In these cases, the dog may receive some level of cognitive enrichment because you are working on training, but their actual needs are not being fulfilled. If you always walk the same path, on a lead, while working on obedience, it eventually gets old for the dog. You will not see the same benefits that you would get if you made a few adjustments to your walking routine.

The first thing I want to talk about is the benefits of off-lead walks. Obviously, not everyone has access to an environment like this where the dogs can run freely. Not every dog has a good recall either. Realistically, if you are going to let your dog off-lead, it is important that they have a reliable recall. That is the first priority.

If your dog does not have a solid off-lead recall, or if you simply do not have access to spaces like this, you still have options. You can rent a SniffSpot, or if you have friends or relatives with land, you can ask to bring your dog and use the space once in a while. You can even ask in local Facebook groups to see if anyone has land you could use for thirty minutes occasionally. It is incredibly beneficial for the dog, and it is fairly accessible, especially in the United States where there is plenty of open space.

Now let’s talk about the actual enrichment benefits of walking your dog. Enrichment includes activities that are naturally fulfilling for a dog, or any species. These are species-appropriate behaviors that dogs are wired to do. If a dog had full agency over its life, it would naturally engage in things like hunting, foraging, sniffing, digging, and shredding. Many of these behaviors are discouraged because they are not always compatible with human lifestyles. But when dogs are prevented from engaging in these activities, you can start to see behavioral issues.

It is just like with humans. We are social. If we are socially deprived or unable to engage in normal human behaviors, we will begin to show signs of decline. It is the same for dogs.

In natural environments like this, dogs can do what they want to do and what they need to do. They have full agency over their actions. This not only tires them out physically, but it is extremely beneficial for their bodies and their brains.

You are never going to see the same enrichment benefits when doing obedience work on walks. It is a completely different experience. If I were constantly calling these dogs back into a heel, the emotions they experience on the walk would be very different. All of the positive hormones and neurotransmitters that are released when they engage in these naturally rewarding activities would be missing. Even sniffing alone is incredibly enriching.

Sniffing uses a large portion of a dog’s brain. Their brains are literally designed for scent processing. They have a huge olfactory bulb and a very complex olfactory system that is heavily integrated into their brain structure. Sniffing is extremely enriching for them.

If you are walking your dog on a leash, which is what most people do, you can still get enrichment benefits. If you have a four-foot leash, consider upgrading to a six-foot or even a ten-foot leash. Let your dog lead the walk. If they want to stop and sniff, let them. If they try to eat something questionable, you may need to intervene, but sniffing, watching things in the environment, and foraging in the leaves are all enriching activities. Your dog will appreciate it.

That is everything for today. It is a small tweak you can make to your walks. If you are constantly doing the same walk every day, the enrichment benefits will not be as strong, so change it up occasionally. Go somewhere new or even walk the same route in the opposite direction so it feels different. All of these things will help you capture the enrichment benefits.

Thank you so much for listening today. We will be back next week with installment number three of “Let’s Go for a Walk.” If you enjoyed this video, please like the video and subscribe to our channel. It really helps. Thanks so much, and see you soon.