# Stop Obsessing About Walking Your Dog

This might upset a few people, but here goes…

Your dog does not need two walks a day simply because someone on Facebook said so.

Before anyone reaches for their pitchfork, I'm not saying dogs should never be walked. Walks can be fantastic. New places, opportunities to sniff, explore and spend time together all have value.

What I'm saying is that walking isn't the be-all and end-all of dog ownership, and for some dogs, more walks aren't necessarily the answer.

Somewhere along the way, dog ownership became a competition.

*"I walk mine for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening."*

*"Oh really? Mine gets three walks a day and an adventure at the weekend."*

*"Is that all? We go out for six hours at a time five times a day."*

Congratulations. Your dog has become a Fitbit challenge.

Somewhere there's probably a Labrador being walked for the fourth time that day and he'd still happily come home and eat an entire roast chicken.

The problem is we've somehow convinced ourselves that the amount we walk our dogs is directly linked to how good an owner we are. In reality, the question shouldn't be:

**"How far did you walk your dog?"**

It should be:

**"Did you fulfil your dog's needs today?"**

Because those are two completely different things.

## Walking Isn't What Most Dogs Were Bred For

People often choose dogs based on how they look.

A Border Collie looks stunning. Huskies are beautiful. Malinois look incredibly impressive. Spaniels are gorgeous.

But dogs weren't bred to be ornaments.

They were bred to do jobs.

Collies were bred to gather and control livestock. Spaniels were bred to hunt and retrieve. Terriers were bred to chase and dig. Scent hounds were bred to use their noses for hours at a time. Malinois were bred to do pretty much anything.

None of these dogs spent generations evolving to stroll around housing estates for forty-five minutes twice a day.

Yet that's exactly what many of them end up doing.

Then we wonder why they're bored.

We buy a Border Collie and expect it to be happy walking around the block twice a day.

We buy a Spaniel and wonder why it constantly has its nose on the ground.

We buy a Husky and are shocked when it wants to run for miles.

We buy a Mal and wonder why they're biting.

Then we label these perfectly normal breed traits as behavioural problems.

Often, they're not problem dogs at all.

They're simply under-employed.

## Walking on a Lead Isn't Brilliant Exercise Anyway

Let's be honest.

Walking on a lead is often rubbish exercise for dogs.

Humans walk at a pace that suits humans. We stop when we want to answer a text message. We decide which way to go. We determine how long the walk lasts.

Dogs don't get much say in it.

Most dogs, if given the choice, would rather run, sniff, search, climb, dig, chase, retrieve or explore.

Imagine taking a marathon runner to a shopping centre, making them walk beside you while carrying your bags and then saying, "There you go. Exercise sorted."

That's basically what many dogs are doing.

For some dogs, lead walking is mentally enriching because they can sniff and explore. But for many high-drive breeds, it barely scratches the surface of what they actually need.

## The Problem with More and More Walking

Ironically, more walks can actually create more problems.

You don't tire the dog out.

Then owners say:

*"I don't understand it. He had a two-hour walk and he's still bouncing off the walls."*

Of course he is.

Because gentle exercise and fulfilment are not the same thing.

A frustrated Border Collie doesn't necessarily need more miles.

A frustrated Spaniel doesn't necessarily need another walk.

They need an outlet for what they were bred to do.

## Sometimes Walks Can Make Behaviour Worse

This is the bit that often surprises people.

Every walk exposes your dog to other dogs, people, bikes, traffic, joggers, cats and a thousand other things.

For some dogs, that's absolutely fine.

For others, it's sensory overload.

Every single day they're practising:

* Pulling towards other dogs

* Barking at people

* Becoming over-aroused

* Scanning the environment

* Getting frustrated because they can't reach something

* Feeling worried and trapped on the lead

Then people wonder why their dog is becoming reactive.

If your dog is already struggling around other dogs, people or busy environments, repeatedly marching them into those situations isn't socialisation. It's rehearsal.

Dogs get better at whatever they practise.

If they practise becoming overwhelmed every day, they're likely to become very good at being overwhelmed.

Sometimes the issue isn't that the dog isn't getting enough walks.

Sometimes it's that they're repeatedly being put into situations they're not coping with.

For certain dogs, skipping a walk and replacing it with an enrichment activity can be far more beneficial than another stressful march around the neighbourhood.

## Your Dog Gets Excited for Walks... But Why?

I hear this all the time.

*"But my dog loves walks! He goes mad when I pick up the lead."*

Maybe.

Or maybe your dog is simply excited because something is finally happening.

If I locked you in the house all day without anything to entertain you and then announced we were going out, you'd probably be quite pleased too.

That doesn't mean Tesco is fulfilling your deepest instincts as a human being.

It means you're bored and something interesting is happening.

Dogs are no different.

## Breed Fulfilment Matters

A fulfilled dog is usually a calmer dog.

A Spaniel wants to sniff, hunt and search.

A Collie wants to use its brain and solve problems.

A Terrier wants to chase, dig and investigate.

A Retriever wants to carry things.

A scent hound wants to follow its nose.

When dogs don't get opportunities to express these natural behaviours, frustration starts to build.

And frustration often turns into behaviours we don't like.

A twenty-minute search game can be more fulfilling to some dogs than a ninety-minute lead walk.

Five minutes of retrieving can satisfy another dog more than a lap around the estate.

Ten minutes of problem-solving can leave some dogs more relaxed than a long hike.

## So What Should You Do Instead?

Sometimes your dog would benefit far more from:

* Scent games around the house or garden

* Scatter feeding

* Food puzzles

* Searching for hidden toys

* Retrieving games

* Training sessions

* Learning new tricks

* Dig boxes

* Exploring new environments through scent

* Problem-solving activities

None of these activities look particularly impressive on Instergram.

But your dog doesn't care.

They care about being fulfilled.

So the next time someone asks:

*"How far did you walk your dog today?"*

Don't be afraid to answer:

*"Not very far. We were busy doing dog stuff instead."*

Because your dog doesn't need more miles.

**They need purpose. They need outlets. They need fulfilment.**

**Your job isn't to wear your dog out. It's to help them become the dog they were bred to be.**

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