The Myth of a Long Walk

Taking your dog on a long walk has somehow become a standard of care for pet dog owners. But is it really that valuable or enjoyable for our dogs? 

An on leash walk can feel frustrating and restraining. Walking at our pace and in a straight line is unnatural and holds no intrinsic value for the dog. The leash prevents them from doing the natural activities that would relieve stress and biologically fulfill them like tracking, stalking, and chasing prey. Even if a dog is trained to loose leash walk there is still a level of frustration and restraint they are feeling to adhere to our very human standards of what walking should look like. 

Many times we have to walk our dogs past triggers they find stressful and we cannot control. A barking dog, running children, loud trucks, etc. For many of my clients in the city, their walks are in highly stimulating and unnatural environments.

Most pet dogs are overweight and under muscled. Walks don’t offer dynamic exercise to help them stay fit and prevent avoidable injuries and illnesses. Adding other kinds of exercises in addition to walking like playing, swimming, obedience, and fitness training etc make a healthier and more effective exercise routine for your dog.

Walking doesn’t do a lot to build your relationship with your dog. On leash it’s unnatural and frustrating. Off leash your dog is doing their own thing. There are more productive ways to make the most out of the time you have with your dog.

-Playing with them

-Doing biologically appropriate activities with them like nosework or cooperative hunting

-Working on obedience commands 

I am not saying you should skip walks all together. I take my dogs on a long walk every evening as a way to wind down our day when my neighborhood is quiet and my dogs have already had their needs met. They also regularly go on off leash walks in the woods or a field. My argument is rather that popular dog culture has shifted the walk into the standard exercise and enrichment for our dogs when it lacks the value we think it has. Also I really don't think our dogs enjoy it as much as we think they do. It’s just their only option to get out of the house in most cases so of course they are excited!