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5 Simple Ways to Make Walks More Fun for Your Dog

5 Simple Ways to Make Walks More Fun for Your Dog

by Georgia Hansen in Blog

Did you know that walks can offer your dog a lot more than just a form of exercise? In fact, they’re an important part of your dog’s happiness and wellbeing. Adding a little variety can turn an ordinary stroll into a stimulating and entertaining experience for your pooch. This article covers five simple ways to make walks more fun for your dog.

 

1. Switch up your routes

While there’s nothing wrong with having a favourite route, adding in some variety at least a few times per week can be very beneficial. Variation makes each walk less monotonous for both yourself and your canine companion. Exploring new paths or simply taking a familiar route in reverse keeps things mentally engaging, as different sights, sounds, and smells stimulate your dog’s curiosity. When they don’t know exactly what to expect or where they’re going next, the walk becomes exciting and adventurous rather than predictable. Your bond with your pooch can also strengthen when you try our new hiking trails, parks, or even city walking routes (if they are comfortable with it) together.

 

2. Include training along the way

In addition to offering fresh air and exercise, you can use walks as a chance to practice training and commands like recall, sit, or loose-lead walking. This keeps your dog mentally engaged as well as physically active. It also improves their ability to follow commands and exhibit positive behaviours. Additionally, training that involves rewards (like training treats) and praise can help strengthen your bond with your dog. This may be particularly beneficial for dogs who need extra practice to pick up on new commands or tend to become bored on standard walks without stimulating challenges.

 

3. Embrace sniff time

Sniffing is how dogs explore and process the world, so allowing them to pause and investigate enriches their walk. While it seems a little gross to us, sniffing the urine of other dogs gives them a chance to gather information about the surrounding canine community. Additionally, sniffing helps meet some key sensory needs as it is a natural behaviour. While they may end up being a little shorter, walks with regular sniff stops can be as physically tiring for your dog as any other walk thanks to the dual cognitive and respiratory engagement they entail. If you want to take this option a step further, you could try taking your pooch on “sniffari” walks where exploring with their nose is the main goal and they get to lead the way. This is a great method for keeping it interesting, boosting their confidence, and reducing stress.

 

4. Add some play

If your walks tend to only involve walking, you could try adding some excitement with the addition of outdoor playtime. Try going to a safe off-lead area during your walk, and bring a ball or tug toy along that your dog enjoys playing with. Whether it’s fetch, tug of war, or even hiding treats for them to find, playtime with you will make it all the more special and exciting for them. It also helps burn extra energy and makes the walk more mentally and physically engaging. This option is particularly ideal for playful dogs with lots of energy who thrive on variety and interactivity.

 

5. Walk with a friend

Dogs who enjoy company can benefit from walking alongside a canine buddy. This change to their routine offers a chance for socialisation and extra mental stimulation. If you have a friend or family member with a dog that your pooch gets along with, walking with them can add excitement and happiness to your dog’s day. The extra company can also make walks more enjoyable for you, too. This option is especially beneficial for dogs who enjoy the company of canines but don’t live with other dogs at home. If your dog is more into people than dogs, inviting their favourite person (excluding you, of course) along on your walks can also add some pep to their step.

 

Final thoughts

A few simple changes to your usual walk routine can make a big difference to your dog’s enjoyment. By mixing up routes, encouraging sniffing, incorporating play or training, and adding some canine and/or human companions, you’ll turn walks into a daily adventure. For most dogs, walks are the highlight of their day, so it’s worth going the extra mile to make sure they’re as stimulating, enjoyable, and exciting as possible.

 

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Chewing is a very natural behaviour for dogs, but how they chew can be surprisingly telling. Patterns like hoarding, shredding, or speed-chewing may reflect their mood, energy levels, and preferences. This article covers five common chewing styles that could help indicate how your pooch is feeling.  1. The Fast Chewer This type of chewer tends to devour everything quickly. So, if your pooch always finishes their treats in seconds, they probably fit within this category. Here’s what this behaviour could mean: Fast chewing could indicate that your dog is feeling high levels of excitement or has a lot of pent up energy. This could also mean your dog is very food motivated and is therefore enthusiastic about the special treats and chews you offer to supplement their regular diet.  If your dog seems at all stressed while gobbling down their goodies, it could be a mild case of resource guarding to prevent their chew from being taken away. This is more likely if other dogs or people are around.  Tips for supporting your fast chewer: Use longer lasting, sturdier chews like tendons and antlers to help slow them down. Give your dog a safe, calm space to enjoy their chew to reduce resource guarding. Use a chew holder or grip to encourage slower chewing and reduce gulping. 2. The Slow and Steady Chewer In contrast to the fast chewer, the slow and steady chewer takes their time with each chew, savouring every last nibble. If your dog takes a long time or multiple chew sessions to get through their chews, this is likely their category. Here’s what this behaviour could mean: Chewing slowly can indicate that your dog is feeling calm and content while enjoying their chew. If your dog is particularly slow with certain types of chews, they may be picky or selective about which flavours and textures they enjoy. Slow chewers also tend to be less food motivated, and are therefore not in a hurry to devour everything in sight like other types of chewers.  Tips to support your slow and steady chewer: Choose flavourful chews with a strong scent to help keep them engaged, like trachea, for example. Pay attention to their preferences and stick to chews with their favourite flavours and textures. Offer chews during safe, calm, and relaxed moments, as their slower chewing style may reflect a need or desire for peace and quiet. 3. The Hoarder Instead of chewing straight away, some dogs like to stash their chews away. If you often find your dog’s chews stashed in their bed, behind furniture, or under cushions, they likely fit into the hoarder category. Here’s what this behaviour could mean: Your dog’s hoarding behaviour may be caused by their natural resource preservation instincts, and they likely see the chew as high value and something to protect. While not always the case, hoarding can indicate feelings of anxiety or uncertainty. If the environment where you give them the chew is busy or overstimulating, they may be saving it for later when they feel more comfortable. Tips for supporting your hoarder: Offer chews on a consistent schedule to help build trust that more will always come, as this can reduce their urge to build a stash. Try offering what they consider to be lower-value chews during busy times so they’re more likely to chew immediately rather than hoard. Create a safe, quiet space for chewing to help them feel relaxed and undisturbed, as this can help make them comfortable enough to settle down to enjoy it instead of hiding it away. 4. The Shredder Some dogs find it fun to rip and shred their chews into little pieces. They may then eat all of it, or just some if they’re more interested in the ripping aspect. If your dog’s chews tend to look like they’ve been through a shredder, this is their category. 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Similarly to the hoarder mindset, your dog may be carrying it around in an effort to keep it safe, especially if it’s a chew they view as high value.  Tips for supporting your carry-around chewer: Try offering a soft toy they can carry around instead, something safe and comforting that satisfies the urge to “hold” something.  Once they have another object they like to hold instead, encourage actual chewing by giving flavour-rich chews during quiet, calm moments.  Strong-scented options like pig ears are more likely to help redirect their attention back to chewing than odourless chews.   Final Thoughts Did you find your dog’s chew style in this article, or do they do something different? Every dog has their quirks, and no chewing style is inherently good or bad. Additionally, you may notice these patterns can shift depending on their age, environment, or mood. 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The Best Dog Chews for Dental Health (Part 1)

The Best Dog Chews for Dental Health (Part 1)

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Which Dog Breed Matches Your Personality? Take Our Quiz!

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