How to Enrich your Dog's walk

As a dog walker, it's my job to monitor canine behaviour around me. Unfortunately, my sight is often caught by dogs walking past that are kept on a short lead and are completely restricted from doing natural dog behaviours. I totally understand that in 2023 there is a pressure on dog owners to have the perfectly trained dog, especially with the influence of social media. However, to me, there is no excuse for completely disregarding our dogs' need to just be a dog.

So, with that in mind, let's talk about how we can implement enrichment on our dog walks whilst encouraging them to behave naturally.

Allow Your Dog To Sniff

Did you know that 20 minutes of sniffing burns the same energy as an hours’ worth of lead walking for your dog? It's hard to believe, right? But that's a fact. It is vital that we allow all dogs daily opportunities to thoroughly investigate natural areas and fulfil their need to sniff.

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, one we cannot fathom or relate to, which may be one of many reasons why some people get frustrated when their dog follows a scent instead of walking to a perfect heel!

Let's be honest here, our sense of smell as humans is rubbish. We can only dream of experiencing the hidden world directly under our noses that dogs tap into every day. It is only natural for them to follow in-depth scent tracks using their nose, where they can even communicate with other dogs through scent… Are they a boy or girl dog? Are they fit and healthy? Is this dog young or old? All these answers can be discovered in the scent left behind in urine and scent tracks.

Now knowing this, it explains why dogs would never naturally walk in a straight line. Although that is what us humans are used to, now we have places to be and money to spend! It is difficult for dogs to walk straight without zigzagging to investigate different scents left behind by other dogs and wildlife.

It's so important to remember that a dog walk is for the dog, not the human. There are endless opportunities for us to go out and do our own thing, it’s less likely that a pet dog has the same freedom! So, it is our job to make sure that their walks are as fun, engaging, and positive as possible.

But you may ask me, how do I encourage my dog to sniff more?

1. Playing Games

Scent-driven games such as "Find it" are a great and easy way to get your dog using their nose. All you need is a treat or a toy, whichever your dog prefers, and to find a quiet area with minimal distractions. You do need to tap into some basic commands here - ask your dog to sit while you throw the treat or toy into long grass (It's okay if this takes practise!). When you are ready, give them a release command such as "Okay" and ask them to "Find it" with an excited tone and a hand gesture to the area it has been thrown. Then, step back and watch them explore with their nose for a yummy or fun reward! To go one step further, scatter a small handful of treats instead of just one - this will encourage a longer search which your pooch will love!

( Rocky the Labrador playing "Find it"... Look at that waggy tail! )

2. Follow The Lead-er!

As dog owners, we are used to deciding our walking routes and making all the decisions! However, offering dogs the opportunity to make their own decisions is incredibly rewarding and stimulating for them. Instead of taking the lead (quite literally!), try taking a step back and let your dog lead you! Scent trails are very intricate, dogs read with their noses just as we read with our eyes - by giving them the opportunity to follow a scent trail without disruption, we empower dogs and encourage calm behaviour which reduces stress and anxiety.

During a dog-lead walk, remember to reduce tension on the lead, and avoid speaking to your dog if you can! Simply let them be and observe some wonderful calm, self-regulated behaviours.

( Luna the Belgian Malinois on her dog-lead walk with Asher! )

Explore New Places

It's very easy to get into the routine of taking the same walking routes around your local area, especially when you have a busy life, and your mind is elsewhere! But this sort of routine is not necessarily the best for your dog, who may become bored and not enjoy their walk as much as they could. This is sometimes when we begin to see unwanted behaviours, such as fixating on other dogs and poor recall. By adding variety to your walking locations, dogs can:

- Explore different areas

- Process different sights and smells

- Meet new dogs

- Practice training (i.e. recall) in a new and exciting environment

However, exploring new places may not be as simple as it sounds when you have an anxious, nervous, or reactive dog. It is understandable in these cases that the owner may stick to areas they know well and that the dog is comfortable in. With these dogs in mind, having local secure dog parks to visit can be a blessing! Here you can book your own private slot and allow your pooch complete off-lead freedom to explore a safe and enclosed area - often filled with obstacles, toys, different terrain, and substrate.

Below I have listed local secure dog park recommendations... Check it out!

1. Paws N Play

Based on the outskirts of Nantwich nearby to Snugburys, Paws N Play is set back from the A51 and has great space to drive your car in through the gates! Paws N Play has quickly become one of our favourite secure walking destinations as it is just an 8 minute drive from the Town Centre and has secure fencing all the way around the perimeter. Inside the park is a variety of dog agility equipment which the dogs love to play on, as well as a shelter for us humans when the weather is typically British! Next to the entrance is a water station with spare bottles filled with fresh water each day, spare wellies and rain coats, as well as a big selection of communal toys for the dogs to enjoy. For dogs like Gus the Patterjack who's recall isn't always reliable, being able to spend off-lead time playing with his sister Darcey the Yorkiepoo is invaluable and allows him to just be a dog!

Visit their website to book: https://pawsnplay.uk/

( Darcey the Yorkiepoo and Gus the Patterjack at Paws N Play )

2. Ash House Canine Adventure Park

Based a little further away from Nantwich but totally worth the 20 minute journey: Ash House Canine Adventure Park is based in Wettenhall, Winsford, and offers a huge secure space for dogs to enjoy. Not only are the fences very secure and tall, but it benefits from a double entrance to avoid any escapee dogs! Ash House Canine Adventure Park offers an impressive variety in enrichment such as tunnels, sandpits, seesaws, tires, and more. We highly recommend making a visit and checking it out for yourselves!

Check out their website: https://ashhousekennels.com/

( Luna the Belgian Malinois at Ash House Canine Adventure Park )

3. Unleashed at Wrenbury Hall Woods

Based in Wrenbury, just a 9 minute drive from Nantwich, is this amazing secure dog park which has the most impressive variety in areas and equipment for dogs to explore! The most eye capturing being its large lake where dogs can swim, play in the water, cool down, and hydrate themselves. Unleashed at Wrenbury has a huge variety in equipment such as jumps, seesaws, tunnels, and even has it's own little wooded area for dogs to play within the trees. Not only are you able to book private sessions for your pooch, there are regular socialisation sessions held here, from puppy groups to large dog groups!

To find out more, visit their website: https://unleashedwrenbury.co.uk/

( Buddy the German Shepherd at Unleashed at Wrenbury Hall Woods )

Teach Your Dog a New Skill

Teaching your dog something new is not only a way to benefit our dogs, but as owners it allows us to feel accomplished and proud that we did that! It is a great way of improving the bond between dog and owner. But here's the tricky part... What can we teach our dogs? I'm glad you asked!

Dog Parkour

Now... I'm sure you're all thinking, isn't parkour a human sport? And you're not wrong! In a sense, dog parkour is not entirely different from human parkour. If I were to try and define it... Dog parkour is where owners train dogs to travel across a set of obstacles, relying on the dogs ability to balance on different surfaces and objects. It doesn't have to be extravagant and complex - teaching your dog to place 2 paws on a surface is fantastic. Check out this photo of Bear below, who last week on her walk with us, learnt how to balance on two tree stumps at the same time! If you want to learn more about dog parkour, you'll want to head over to Nose to Trail ran by Rachel Rodgers! She runs dog parkour classes in Nantwich (alongside other amazing classes such as pet trailing and reducing reactivity) and comes highly recommended by us!

Check out her website here: https://nosetotrail.co.uk/

( Bear the Bichon/Shih tzu mix showing off her parkour skills! )

So, there we are! Of course, there will be many other ways you can enrich your dog's walks. These are just a few suggestions to get you thinking. Every dog is different and benefits from different things, but remember, no-one knows your pooch better than you do! So, go out there and have fun with them, we can't wait to hear all about it!