Do dogs get bored on a walk?

[LarryFreakinStylinson]

Apologies for the random musing but as I walk my dog on his evening constitutional along the same route we always come I wondered if at any stage he thinks ‘FFS not this way AGAIN!’

So do dogs get bored? He seems happy enough, sniffing the same tree he did last night and the one before that but I just wondered if subliminally he’s trying to get a message through to me.

We do go other places on occasion but this is definitely my favoured route as it’s virtually straight out the door into countryside but now I’m wondering if I am depriving my dog!

I don't think so. Sniffing is like doggy social media. Every smell tells it's own story!

They definitely react differently to some walks, mine have their favourites.

We do the same walk morning and evening, but the middle walk(s) could be to any number of places - and some are clearly more exciting than others to individual dogs.

So - think they don't get bored as such with the same walk, always different smells and dogs/people to meet, but mine certainly appreciate variety.

Mine don't because I take them different places all the time.

I didn't want a regular walk around the block as I would be bored so I take mine to Woods, forests, beaches and if we go back to the same place in the same week I go a different route.

Obviously it depends where you live and how much time you've got.

I go out for one walk a day but it will be two hours or more, usually more.

He seems happy enough. And he’s just gone through what he thought was solid ground but was actually ice on a puddle so that was new for him 🤣

I love random pet musings. I always wonder if my cats wonder why I leave the house for eight hours every day and what I get up to. Then I remember cats don't have the ability to wonder

I often wonder what goes through my cat’s head when he makes me open the door, the runs out, immediately turns back and cries to be let in then once in starts scratching the door to get out again

I don't think they do, because a walk is a series of smells to them, and the smells are ever changing.

Mine does but it's more to do with length of time than the location. He has boundless energy but if I take him out for longer than 20 minutes he starts whinging and pathetically trying to climb my legs, asking to be carried

Mine definitely show more excitement for some places over others - where lots of dogs are walked, where there is wildlife etc.
The everyday walk up the lane is nice but they are know way as enthusiastic as the river or old railway line walk.

Mine just gets pissed off if it’s even slightly drizzly or cold. She looks all sad so that people stop and stroke her and ask what’s wrong. But will she wear a fucking coat?! She definitely favours some routes compared to others as she tries to take me on them. Sorry Ddog, but you are 2kg, good luck!

Some do. I can think of one I used to see out that when he'd had enough would sit down and refuse to move until the owner walked in the opposite direction. A huge German Shepherd too, so the owner couldn't do too much about it.
He wasn't aggressive about it, just rooted himself to the ground.

He also used to pick favourite stones on walks, and would do the same while staring and barking at a rock until the owner picked it up and put it in his pocket. It was very funny, especially when he chose a very large one.

Mine def has his favourites. Occasionally when I'm not in a rush we'll do "his walk, his way" and I follow where he leads. He always chooses the same route, which we don't often do (because it's bloody miles 😂). Little git is 16yrs old too, he should be happy with a little totter to the end of the road.

"Then I remember cats don't have the ability to wonder". Really?! I think you're kidding yourself! The little critters wonder about random stuff all the time - especially when they're wondering what to do to you/piss you off next!

When I was a teenager we had two dogs, a Daschund (who utterly loathed 'walkies') and a Jack Russell (who thought walkies were the best thing since sliced bread). One of our neighbours once told my Mum that she always knew whether Mum was on her way out for a walk, on on her way home.

Out = JR straining at the lead in front, DHund dragging her heels behind looking bored.
Homewards = DHund finally putting on a sprint to get home, whilst JR started dragging his heels once he knew his walk was over!!

I often wonder that but I have come to the conclusion that the answer is no. I give our dog the choice of which way to go - sounds daft but we get to a junction and I say to her you choose and she decides field walk, woods walk or canal walk and also gets to choose up or down with the canal. Her fav is down canal but fields and a bit of woodland at the end is second fav. We even drove the other day to the other end of the walks where we come out on the road and she recognised all the exits and stopped to query if we were going down here today - ie looked at me and checked what I was doing but if I say to her - not today - straight on, she carries on up the road (we went a completely different way for a change). I was amazed she recognised it all despite a car journey and walking past from a different direction.

I often let my dog choose which footpath/direction we take and he always goes for the walk where he will find most pheasants He will never ever tire of that field.

Mine has one that he used to like but now if I try to take him on it, five minutes in he’ll sit and refuse to budge. I think it’s because we don’t meet many other dogs on that particular walk.

I try not to do the same road walks or the same off lead routes all the time so he has variety. I also don't do the same activity every day so some days it's agility and training and other days off lead running about and other days ball play and road walking.

I am sure your dog is fine with his sniffing but for my sanity I prefer to mix things up.

I don't think so.

I knew someone whose labrador would walk the same route every day and nothing else. Would walk left out of the drive and round the block. He could not be persuaded otherwise!!!

I think they do get bored with the same routes. My girl perks up her ears and walks in a different way if we vary the usual route for a pee at night, for example.

As for proper walks, she definitely has her favourites, as she bounces more in certain places rather than others! This is a 30kg cross breed, so it's very noticeable.

Mine definitely has her preferences. One walk is her absolute favourite, there’s a big open area in run in a loads of other dogs to say hello to, but she clearly dislikes our local park. If I take her there she’s trudges along with a dejected air on the way there then races all the way home.

Mine definitely has his favourite walks

If we turn left out of our drive we’re going to the beach - most favourite in all the world. Gets excited, pulls on his lead, drags me down the slip way on to the beach, desperate to get off his lead so he can get into the sea, etc

If we get in the car we’re going to the woods - in his top two, but beach is the best. Again gets excited, bounces around the car, starts barking as we pull into the carpark

If we turn right - we’re going to the park - meh.

He always tries to drag me off to the left

We have a quick mooch around the block before bed - he likes it, has a good sniff but I don’t think he really counts it as a walk

Love these responses. You’ve reminded me that if we go to the beach as soon as we come over the cost of the hill that means the beach is in view he goes crackers in the car so the beach is obviously his favourite location.

Our neighbours have a cat. They are out at work Monday - Friday but have irregular hours. The cat is always sitting in the front window when the first human arrives home, but doesn't spend any other time there. I asked if they text him to let them know they're on their way but apparently it's cat telepathy

MiddlingMum
My friends, a couple, had a cat who would leave the house to walk down the road to meet one of them coming home from work. Apparently the cat always timed it so they both arrived at the corner of the road at the same time, then cat would escort his owner back home

Cats have a very good sense of time apparently

I read that walking is not natural to a dog, their normal movement is a trot, so our pace must be very frustrating for them. My dogs love going anywhere new and even if they didn’t get bored with the same old route, I certainly would.