The Great Internet Debate- To Walk or Not to Walk?

One aspect of having dogs in my life that I have always loved is dog walks. My family dog growing up loved going for walks and Vinny, who doesn’t like much of anything, looks forward to his walks with great enthusiasm. When Chief came into my life, he went for walks too… eventually. It was five months before he decided he would allow me to walk him on a leash. As soon as his leash went on, he would throw on the brakes and refuse to move. I tried food luring, play, and every tip the internet experts had to offer. I even brought him to an antique car show where he refused to walk, so I threw him in my backpack. He was an instant sensation at that event, and as funny as it was I still couldn’t believe that my new puppy didn’t enjoy walks. 

As part of the instagram dog community, I have noticed both ends of the spectrum exist. There are dog people who cannot fathom letting their dog go one single day without a walk, and people that swear walks are useless for dogs. I used to think that dogs require a walk every day and viewed it as a primary form of exercise for them. Chief taught me that there are plenty of other ways to fulfill your dog’s exercise needs than just walks. So which camp is right? 

Since this is my blog, I will give you my take on the matter. I still love and rely on dog walks for many different reasons. Personally, I love walking and feel fulfilled by spending time outdoors with my dogs. I work 12+ hour shifts in healthcare, so some days the only way I can exercise all three of my dogs is on a morning walk. Walks are an incredible training opportunity as well. I use walks to teach proper leash walking and heeling, and to play engage-disengage games with potential triggers for my dogs. I always bring treats so they are paid for their good behavior. Chief struggled with car reactivity as a puppy, which is a common issue in herding breeds. We utilized walks to reverse this dangerous behavior. 

On the flip side, I can see the argument to NOT walking your dog. So many dog owners get caught up in the monotony of the day to day, not realizing how important every second they spend with their dog is. Dogs lives are short, and they spend their time waiting for us to share ours with them. My cattle dogs like walking, but truthfully they don’t love it. I learned to fulfill them in other ways. One of their favorite activities is off leash trail walking. Our neighborhood walks can be stressful for them. We have a lot of off leash, front yard, outdoor living dogs in our area. We have had countless run ins with some friendly, and some not so friendly, dogs on walks. I know my dogs harbor some anxiety from these events. Going on trail walks in the woods allows them to enjoy off leash freedom. We rarely see other people and dogs which gives them time and space to decompress. They are much more mentally fulfilled by this as well, you can tell by how hard they nap afterwards. 

As is the same for a lot of dog related disagreements, I don’t think there is a right answer. It comes down to training and loving the dog in front of you. All dogs are not the same, no matter what stereotypes suggest. I went from having low drive, low energy mixed breed dogs to high maintenance cattle dogs with a myriad of daily fulfillment requirements. Part of bringing a dog home is selflessly prioritizing their needs. They rely on us for their basic needs, but deserve to have us go above and beyond to fulfill them on a daily basis. If your dog loves walks, take them for walks. If your dog prefers other forms of exercise, make time for them to do what they love as often as your schedule allows. At the end of the day, they just want to spend time with us. I will always walk my dogs, but I will also always work hard to figure out what they enjoy most and provide them with a life full of it!

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