How to Make Your Dog’s Walks More Fun

If you get bored taking your dog on the same walk every day, think about how boring it is for your dog! Variety is great for your furry friend. It keeps things interesting and they are always guessing what you are going to do next. Variety is also great for dogs’ mental stimulation. If you don’t have time to go to a new location or a park for your walk, then here are some ways to make your dog’s walks more fun and interesting.

Changing directions when you go for your evening stroll keeps your dog guessing. Are you going left out of the house tonight or right? Another way to change directions – unexpectedly turn around in the middle of your walk and go in a different direction. You will keep your pup on their paws trying to guess which way you are going next. Your pup will be curious as to where you are headed next.

A doggie backpack is a great way to enhance your dog’s walk. Not only does the added weight of a backpack burn more calories and make the walk more difficult, but it can also have a calming effect on some dogs. If you have a pooch that is hard to tire out, using a backpack with some weight in it can tire them out a little faster.

If your dog has never used a backpack before, you should introduce them to it prior to having them wear it. Bring the backpack out and put it on the floor. Let your dog sniff it and check it out. After a few days of them sniffing it and getting used to the way it looks and smells you can hide some treats inside the pockets and underneath it. Your pup will see the backpack as a fun treat dispensing thing and not be too scared of it. After that, you can try to gently place the backpack on your dog’s back. Let them wear it for a few minutes. A slow introduction to the backpack is key to ensure they aren’t terrified of it.

Throwing out commands at random during your walk does two things. It makes the walk more interesting and it is a great way to practice behaviors in different locations. Remember that “sit” in your house doesn’t necessarily equate to “sit” out on the sidewalk. The more you can try commands in different places the better. You can also incorporate tricks into the walk. If your dog knows long weave, you can have them stop at a point during the walk and perform the long weave. When you work training into your walks they become longer and more fun for your dog.

Obstacles are great for stability, increase endurance, and are great mental stimulators. See a log on your walk? Have your pooch jump over it, crawl under it, or tightrope across it. You can even try and have your dog perform a sit on the log. You can use park benches in the same way.

Walks don’t have to be boring. You can do lots of different things on your daily walk through the neighborhood to keep your pooch engaged and happy! Stay tuned to the Furry Fundamentals blog for more great training tips. As always, we are here for daycare, boarding, and dog training. Just contact us to schedule!