Chances are that you have heard this phrase thrown around a lot…
Not only is the dog disengaged, the dog is doing what they want, often carrying out self rewarding behaviours – creating bad habits.
Within our society, taking the dog for a walk is the norm, however it is mostly pretty boring and dull for dogs. Of course not all walks are going to be boring, but taking the dog for a spin round the block is actually doing minimal for them.
Take most breeds you can think of… they were not originally bred to be on this earth to chill in the house and go for a stroll every day. Take a breed like a Border Collie – they are obviously bred for herding and would originally spend hours and hours out on the fields with their handler. Therefore going for a walk or two a day will not scratch the surface and be pretty dull for the dog.
Instead of going for a walk, start to take the dog somewhere and do something fun. Play tug, play fetch, train obedience…. engage with the dog and make it dynamic – you will quickly see a huge difference in the relationship and enjoyment you both gain from it!
The more interested and fun we can make ourselves to the dog, the quicker and more eager the dog is to interact with us.
All dogs are different of course and there are dogs that are satisfied with the conventional dog walk, but most would benefit from the above!
