Walking your dog can be an easy daily treat for you and your pet. In reality, walking your dog isn't always as fun as you might think, even under the best of circumstances. Even the most doting dog parents silently pray for our dog to poop so we can turn around and go home.
But pet psychologists say that's the wrong view. You may spend nearly all of your waking hours with your pet, but a dog's life is very different from yours. The key to a successful walk is to put yourself in your dog's paws. Here's how your dog actually likes to walk.
Count flowers, not steps
Dogs need to be walked for at least 30 minutes at least twice a day, said James Serpel, professor emeritus of animal behavior and welfare at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
However, this should not include races that require many steps. It's important to focus on time spent outdoors rather than distance traveled, Serpel says.
Walking is both a physical exercise and a mental exercise. “For them, this kind of adventure, a quick walk around the neighborhood, a quick trip to the park, is really the highlight of their day,” he says.
Unlike humans, dogs interpret the world by smell. That means they can spend a significant portion of their time sniffing and peeing, both of which Serpel says are important to a dog's experience. For example, when your dog stops to sniff a seemingly pointless streetlamp, what they're actually doing is identifying how many dogs have passed in front of it. And when they pee on it, they're marking their territory. This is ingrained in dogs long before they become Labradoodles or Pomeranians.
Even older or disabled dogs who can't walk need valuable outdoor time. Serpel recommends taking your pet in a padded stroller so they can smell the scent.
Never rush to walk or poop
Serpel says rushing your dog away will only harm both of you in the long run. Without enough stimulation, dogs may become anxious or irritable, and may express their emotions through undesirable behaviors such as destroying furniture. “There's a lot of evidence that a lack of this kind of exercise and enrichment makes dogs more likely to develop some behavioral problems as a result,” Serpel says.
The same concept applies when rushing your dog to poop. This habit can backfire psychologically. “I often wonder if this subconsciously trains the dog to hold back for as long as possible,” he says.
customize your walk
Of course, these guidelines will need to be tailored to your dog. Walking a Golden Retriever is different from walking a Chihuahua. Maybe your dog doesn't even like going for walks. In that case, your best option may be to frolic in your backyard, dog park, or another enclosed area. When it comes to territory, Serpel says it's ideal to vary your walking route, but it also doesn't hurt to patrol regularly. Your dog will integrate the neighborhood as familiar territory, but its scent will still be transfixing.
Rethinking what walking your dog means will improve the experience for everyone. Your dog can sniff freely and happily, and you can spend 30 minutes on social media or your favorite podcast. Everyone wins.
