Question for dog owners

[bendmeoverbackwards]

When you take your dog for a walk, do you listen to music or a podcast or do you talk to your dog?

I'm trying to work out if there are similarities to taking a child for a walk...

I do now but I couldn’t when he was a puppy as the walk was spent: 1) training him to walk and 2) keeping an eye on how he interacted with other dogs and how they interacted with him.

Now I can half listen to a podcast and half keep an eye on him (ie to see if he needs to be called back to me if a dog on a lead is in the distance).

When I’m walking through a busy area (eg the Hugh Street) then I spend a bit of time talking to him (eg “good boy” “walk to heel” etc).

I chat to the dog!

Is that what you mean or did you mean general chit chat? DDog is too busy sniffing to want to chat but I will occasionally say things out loud like “shall we go this way” and “oh look it’s your friend Teddy” if that helps.

Yes podcasts - it’s a great opportunity to catch up on them! I have normal AirPods (not noise cancelling), and can interact with my dog when he brings me sticks etc, and chat away to him. Less so when he was a small small puppy as above, but he’s 2 and a half now and I know his behaviours in the park.

No, no music here. Mostly because i like the peace of walking the dog. We alternate between beach and woods; on the beach it's nice to hear the waves, in the woods i fear being attacked! So i want to hear everything (there are runners, mountain cyclists, dirtbike riders, some homeless...)

I waffle to her all day and night, regardless of where we are

I enjoyed the quiet or talked to the dog. I wouldn't listen to anything because I think it's safer, as a women, to be able to hear what's going on.

I do a bit of both , I don’t think my dog needs a running commentary from me but he does have my full attention whether or not I have my earphones in .

Neither really.

I don't wear headphones so that I can keep awareness of my dog and my surroundings.

DH listens to music on his walks, but I talk to the dog the whole way around.

I talk to the dog and then look round guiltily to see if anybody heard me. I wouldn't like to wear ear buds or headphones outdoors, although a lot of people do, as I prefer to aware of my surroundings.

I prefer not to listen to music or podcasts when dog walking. Firstly I like to hear if someone is coming up behind me or to hear where dog is if rustling about in trees and bushes. And secondly when I'm walking in woods etc I just love listening to the silence and being disconnected from electronic devices. I do chat to the dogs too though!

Listen to podcasts when there's no one in sight (we live in the middle of nowhere) but if another dog hoves into view I start a dialogue with the dogs (a) to put them at ease with reassuring voice cues, "Oh, look, it's Ted! Lovely Ted, hasn't he got a nice coat on!" etc, etc, and (b) to set up a pre-emptive convo with the other dog owner which can then turn into polite greetings and/or apologies for any untoward sniffing or barking, eg, "Ha ha! Yes, Ted does smell nice, doesn't he? No, come on there's no need for that, I'm sure Ted doesn't want to see that, move along now, etc, etc"

No I don’t, I like the absence of any type of tech or device.
I spend most of the day on my laptop and the evenings on my iPad or kindle or watching TV so if I am out of the house it’s a nice change to have no screens or similar

It's always me and the dog, occasionally DH too. We chat as we wander round appreciating the trees, birds etc.

I see people with headphones... they always look really disconnected. Not as disconnected, or oblivious, as those who walk round on their phones though....

I just listen to the silence/nature sounds and try and practise a bit of mindfulness.

Dog almost always off lead running around so am watching her and other humans / hazards - sometimes talk to the dog .

I like to keep my awareness around me, even though where I walk feels very safe. I've sometimes thought about a podcast but decided I'd prefer to listen to what's around me. It's beautiful here and it's nice to concentrate on it. Plus I do chat to the dog quite a lot too

Interesting, thank you all.

As a non dog owner, I find walking a bit boring unless I'm listening to something (unless I'm walking somewhere in beautiful nature, then I enjoy the peace and quiet).

Must be nice to have a dog to chat to. We borrowed a neighbour's dog recently, walking is so much more fun with a dog!

Bluetooth headphones and true crime podcasts. It's my hour or so of solitary bliss first thing every morning

I'm on devices all day with work. If I talk at all, I talk to her.

No it's quiet time. I might chat a little to the dog, but mainly I just suck in the fresh air, and ideally the relative quiet.

We borrowed a neighbour's dog recently, walking is so much more fun with a dog!
So true. Walking along a beach without a dog would almost be a waste of time as you feel their joy at it all.

I sometimes slip my iPod into my pocket but once out I very rarely think to use it, I chat to the dog instead.

I hate walking on my own, but give me a dog and I'll happily walk for miles.

I've tried with headphones once my 3 were older & a bit more sensible but it made me feel disconnected & I swear they behaved worse when I did!