As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and as a dog trainer there is nothing more beautiful than to watch a dog enjoying an outing with their person. However, while daily walks have long been seen as a vital part of a dog’s exercise routine, it is not always the best activity for every dog. It depends on how we define a walk with our dogs. It also depends upon the dog in front of us: age, energy level, mindset, health condition, etc.
For some dogs, walks can be frustrating, emotionally exhausting and physically demanding, especially if they have not had training, or have behavioral or physical limitations. This is where a deeper understanding of your dog’s needs becomes crucial.
A one-size-fits-all approach to dog walks and exercise could cause more harm than good. Trainers who specialize in canine behavior—like our team at Dog Dynamics—offer insights that can help guide you in making the best choices for your dog’s well-being.
Before you step out that door, let’s make sure we are setting your dog up for a productive, safe and ultimately fun, outing.
Table of Contents
- The Hidden Downsides of Walking Your Dog
- The First Step
- Mental Exercise versus Physical Exercise
- The Value of Information Walks
- How Doggie Day Care and Dog Parks Can Sabotage Your Walks
- Alternatives to Walking
- Conclusion
The Hidden Downsides of Walking Your Dog
Walking may seem like an easy and convenient way to give your dog exercise, but there may be a few things to consider before going out on that jaunt. Your dog’s age, mental and physical health, and the amount of training your dog has had, should all be considered.
Health: Physical Development
Puppies and dogs that have not completed their vaccination series are at risk for exposure to viruses and bacteria when out on walks. Leptospirosis is a bacteria that is transmitted through the urine of infected animals. The bacteria can live for weeks, or even months, in contaminated soil and water. Parvovirus can live for years on a contaminated surface, and distemper virus can spread from an infected animal through air droplets, direct contact, and through shared food and water bowls.
Adolescent dogs that are still growing can be injured by pushing them to go beyond their limits. Even dogs that love to run should not necessarily go for a long run/walk every day. A dog’s typical mode of operation is to run for a short distance, stop, roll around on the grass, sniff the air, and respond to pee-mail. Pushing a dog to run without stopping can cause lasting mobility issues, and even compromise their organs.
For dogs with joint problems, like arthritis, hip dysplasia, or CSM, long walks can exacerbate pain or cause lasting injuries. Larger breeds and senior dogs are particularly susceptible to these issues.
Health: Mental Development
Dogs go through basically 6 stages of mental development, 7 if we include changes that occur in an elder dog. Exposing a young puppy in the midst of the Fear Period to environments that are perceived as scary can have lasting repercussions. Puppies and dogs who are highly sensitive may find walks too stressful. Meeting new dogs, traffic, and loud noises can overwhelm them. These dogs might react by barking and pulling, which could be perceived as aggression when all they want to do is either get away from the experience, or engage with the object stimulating them.
Overly confident dogs and gregarious teenagers that have not learned to understand leash communication can become frustrated when tied to their owner. Moving forward while a dog is pulling on the leash only teaches a dog that a tight leash means to pull harder in order to get to where they want to go. Over time, this unwanted rehearsal of bad leash manners can exacerbate what we call “lizard brain.” No impulse control: I see, I want, I go. This can become dangerous for the dog, and for the person on the other end of the leash.
Elder dogs don’t always show obvious mental changes, but they occur. Studies in humans have found that compromised eye sight and hearing loss can lead to a reduction in cognitive skills. I have noticed this to be the same with elder dogs, especially those dogs that were never taught how to think. Some senior dogs enjoy an easy stroll, while others may feel confused, disoriented and vulnerable.
Level of Training
What is your expectation when you attach the leash to your dog? Your dog does not understand what it means to be on a leash with you if they do not know your rules. This just sets your dog up for frustration and failure. And allowing your dog to rehearse unwanted behaviors while out on a walk only exacerbates the problem. The pulling, lunging, barking, and noncompliance turn into habits.
So What Can You Do? The First Step
Picture a marching band. How many hours of training do you think goes into the band members learning how to move in perfect stride with each other? Even if we are “freestyle” dancing on the dance floor with another person, we are still engaged. It could be perceived as rude behavior if we simply turned our backs and started dancing with someone else. And this is between two humans!
Now, picture your dog. Have you put in the hundreds of hours to teach your dog how to march with you? Does your dog know how fun it is to engage with you when out in public? If not, that’s where your walk starts. Instead of thinking, “I need to go walk my dog,” think, “I need to go train and have fun with my dog.” Then maybe after repetitions of reinforcement, your dog will begin to march with you for short periods of time, and choose you to engage with when confronted with other options.
Training to walk on leash begins in the home
You know why dog walks are over rated? Because dogs that do not have good manners in our homes do not understand why the rules change as soon as we step outside of the house. If we want to have a good walk, we need to start with obedience in the house. Consistency is our friend. Teach wait at the front door until released, a solid “place” command on a dog bed, don’t jump on guests or children, don’t bark at people and dogs through the window, etc. Your dependable attitude will set your dog up for success in the home, and when out in public.
Leash Desensitization and Obedience
A leash is basically an extension of our arm that attaches to our dog. One of two things can happen when we put a leash on our dog; our dog either anticipates they are going for a walk, and/or anticipates that we are going to take control over them. It changes our relationship, and it changes our dog’s mindset.
Instead view your dog’s leash as attire. I am going to dress my dog for success every single day. And if success starts in the home, then my dog will be dressed whenever my dog is with me. You don’t need to hold on to it, or tie it to yourself. Let your dog drag it around, and get used to the weight, the sound and feel of the leash, and then learn to ignore it. This changes your dog’s feelings about the leash. It doesn’t mean a walk or control, it’s just something that your dog wears.
Now you can make obedience a way of life, and not just something that happens when you are out on a walk. You can randomly train throughout the day making obedience and good manners a habit. If we have good manners in our homes, we have a fighting chance of having good manners when out on a walk.
Mental Exercise versus Physical Exercise
Believe it or not, mental exercise is more challenging and tiring than physical exercise. The dogs that attend Dog Dynamics’s group and private lessons are exhausted afterwards, not because we walked them for 3 miles, but because we encouraged and motivated them to think and learn how to be a dog in a human world.
Now, if we pair mental exercise with physical exercise, let’s say by doing Environmental Agility, our dogs will really be ready for a nap by the end of the outing. If your dog loves to fetch, you can add in random obedience commands and reward your dog with a toy toss. All of this will help to build a bond with you based on fun interactions. From your dog’s point of view, this is much more rewarding than going for a walk while you talk on the phone, or listen to a podcast. They have your full attention, and you’re fun!
The Value of Information Walks
Many years ago I spent time on one of the largest dump sites in the world. Why? To watch feral and free roaming village dogs. I learned so much about their body language, their pack dynamics, and what they valued. At the time, I really didn’t know where this information was going to take me, but I soon discovered that the value of training can be lost if we don’t respect and learn about who are dogs are and how they respond in a wide variety of situations.
At Dog Dynamics we started incorporating “Information Walks” into our training protocols for leash walking. An information walk allows a dog to move freely on a long leash (usually 10-15 feet long), exploring, smelling, and learning about their world. With a very loose leash, our dogs are allowed to be themselves, without a nagging rope holding them back. This does two main things. First, we learn about our dog as an individual, what they are interested in, what makes them aroused, and how they naturally respond to new environments and stimulation. Second, it shows our dogs that we respect them, and are interested in what they like. An outing is not just about hearing a nonstop litany of commands, but instead it’s an adventure with a friend. This helps to strengthen our bond.
But, an information walk does have rules: no pulling, no putting weird things in their mouth, and no inappropriate barking. If your dog begins to do one of the above, re-engage your dog by returning to fun obedience drills: come, sit, get into heel position, etc.
The next step is to create an “Obedience Sandwich.” Do 3-10 minutes of training, and then release your dog for an information walk for 3-10 minutes, followed by 3-10 minutes of training. You can stack your sandwich to make it a triple, double double, and beyond. Just make sure to quit while you are ahead; stop making your obedience sandwich while your dog is still motivated.
How Doggy Day Care and Dog Parks Can Sabotage Your Walks
Doggy day care and dog parks are relatively new. They began in the late 1980s, but really took off in the 21st century as the hours in our days filled up with commutes, job commitments, and family and friend activities. The pressure has really grown to make sure our dogs are entertained as well.
If the doggy day care and your outing to the dog park is set up right, it can have a positive effect on walking your dog. A little play time, followed by a little time interacting positively with you, balances out your relationship. You can be just as fun as other dogs. But, if your dog views interacting with other dogs much more fun than walking and interacting with you it can cause behaviors that lead to reactivity while on leash; frustrated barking and lunging that looks like aggression.
A word about naps: Your dog needs 14-18 hours of sleep a day, even as an adult. So, don’t feel like your dog needs to have entertainment every day. A little down time in their crate or safe space allows them to sleep, feel refreshed, and ready to learn when you return.
Alternatives to Walks
On those days that you don’t have the mental bandwidth to walk your dog with purpose and positive interactions, take just a few minutes out of your day to do other things that are just as important and beneficial as a good obedience sandwich. Environmental agility, hide and seek, find it games, trick training, heck put on some music and dance with your dog in the living room. Weaving thoughtful interactions into your everyday lifestyle with your dog is better than a walk any day, and you can do it for the lifetime of your dog.
Happy training!
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About Bonnie Brown Cali
With over 30 years of experience, Bonnie has a rich background in dog training, including work with service and protection dogs, wildlife conservation, and search and rescue. An AKC evaluator and an active participant in global workshops, she also competes in the French Ring sport. Bonnie’s diverse expertise and dedication to ongoing learning make her a distinguished figure in the dog training community.
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