Walk your dog (please)
A recurring theme on DogBook (and one I’ve been hearing for the 25ish years I’ve been in performance sports) is that walks are simply unnecessary….yikes.
The primary argument is that fitness can be achieved/maintained without walks. I’m willing to concede that could be true (however, I do think skipping walks is skipping the fundamentals of fitness), I would argue that walks provide SO much more than “just” fitness.
Canine Fitness
Although I understand that you can have a fit dog without walks being part of the program, I would argue that the BEST base for fitness is regular off-leash hiking. Why? I think the opportunity to move freely (running, walking, leaping over things, climbing onto things, ducking under things, chasing after dogs, running up and down hills, etc.) is the most natural use of your dog’s incredible body.
Off-leash hiking allows for a wide range of movement with a base level of endurance. On each hike, I see the dogs walk, run, spring, climb, wrestle, and jump. They work their entire bodies.
Beyond Fitness
In addition to the physical benefits of hiking, there are so many emotional/psychological benefits to walks. The opportunity to play, sniff, and explore with some level of freedom is so crucial to our beloved dogs.
Canine Enrichment
There are multiple DogBook groups dedicated to enriching our canine’s lives and I LOVE it! I love that owners are so engaged in what their dogs needs that they join groups to learn how to make meal times more enriching. I maintain that the most enriching thing we can do for our dogs is…let them be dogs.
A dear friend and I used to regularly meet for long hikes where our dogs were able to safely range and explore. We would regularly talk about the importance of balance. My dogs spend plenty of time working hard and being precise - in the performance ring, in our training sessions - and I owe it to them to balance that with (relative) freedom to make their own choices - follow the scent that intrigues them, explore the area that looks interesting, chase each other and roughhouse in a way that isn’t encouraged inside the house :).
What do walks provide to our dogs?
The chance to be….dogs. To use their incredible sense of smell to explore. To use their remarkable bodies to run and leap and play. To use their keen eyes and ears to choose the next place to run.
What happens without walkies?
Dogs need outlets. They need exercise. They need social interaction. Without these, they will develop behaviour problems. Walks aren’t just about exercise - they’re about exploring the world.
Other Forms of Fitness
Can treadmills help with endurance? Yes! Can playing fetch up hills improve explosive power? Yes! Can weight pull improve power? Yes!
The ideal fitness program incorporates a wide range of activities. However, hiking/walking provides base fitness AND a fulfilling activity.
Where to Hike?
For many years, I have had dogs without the luxury of having our own land to hike on. Every day we hopped in the car and drove to a safe and fun place to hike. We hiked in conservation areas in the off-season. We hiked in private forests (with land owner permission). We hiked dog friendly areas in off-hours.
Today, there are more options. Many areas have SniffSpots that can be rented for safe an enriching exploration.
Finding an appropriate and safe place isn’t always simple - but it is absolutely worth it.
On-leash walkies are still so valuable. The chance to sniff and explore and see new places is so enriching for your dog.
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So - no matter what else you’re doing for fitness, please, please walk your dog. Let them sniff, let them explore, let them be dogs. We make up their entire world. We decide whether they interact with other people and other dogs, we decide where they go and what they see….we owe it to them to make their world as enriching as possible.
