While our daily neighborhood walks can be great ways for both us and our dogs to conveniently get out and stretch our legs, they’re not always relaxing and sometimes might even be stressful for our dogs.
On a neighborhood walk your dog might encounter stressors like loud trucks, others dogs loudly barking behind fences and skateboards whizzing by that leave them having a hard time to settle down and enjoy the walk.
If your dog has had a stressful week, tends to be on the anxious/fearful side, or is new to you and settling in- try setting aside time to go for a decompression walk.
But what is a decompression walk?
A decompression walk is a walk in nature that aims to be relaxing, meandering and enriching for both human and dog.
Relaxing:
- We want to walk somewhere peaceful for both us and our dog, ideally away from the road and with low foot traffic.
- This could be a trail through the woods or on a path through the local park.
- Picking what time you walk can be crucial- try to avoid rush hour when you might have to dodge a lot of other walkers/bikers/dogs.
Meandering & Enriching:
- Take your time and try not to rush your dog or yourself.
- Give them room to explore by going someplace off leash friendly (only if safe and if they have a reliable recall with you) or by using a 15ft or longer training leash attached to a back clip harness. Where appropriate let them use the length of the leash to explore.
- Let your pup stop and sniff things for as long as they need to.
Did you know that dogs’ noses are thousands of times stronger in sensing smells than our own?
I always joke that a dog stopping to sniff is equivalent to us scrolling through Facebook- but it’s actually fairly similar.
Sniffing is a crucial part of how dogs gather and process environmental and relational information. Sniffing has been shown to be a stress-relieving activity and mentally tiring for our dogs- an essential part of a decompression walk.
Ready to plan your decompression walk?
Set aside some time this week to give it a try and enjoy the mood-boosting, calming effects for both you and your dog!