Walks

[Peace43]

Ddog and I get out twice a day religiously (he’s a 3 year old Bichon). We have a few normal routes, on and off road, fields, woods, some off lead some on lead. I’ve noticed he’s recently started trying to take up different roads. We don’t use those because I know there are no footpaths and you can’t do a circular walk. I’m guessing he’s just nosy. Should I indulge him even though the walk seems way less fun? Do yours get a passion for the unknown? Any other ideas for making normal walks more fun? He won’t bring a ball back!!

I take the view that the walk is for the dog's benefit. Finding smells is a bit part of their enjoyment during a walk, so it might be that the paths you find less interesting are actually super interesting to your dog. I don't think it matters if you double back on yourself rather than doing a circular walk! Sometimes DDog goes off in a direction other than the one I'd assumed we'd take - I usually indulge him unless there's a reason not to - it's his time, after all!

Re making normal walks more fun - you could do some parkour (teaching your dog to jump on things like fallen trees and climb them - you'd be surprised as to what even a little dog can do!), taking different routes, and letting the dog go at its own pace, sniffing everything it feels like.

I wish my dog would do this. She only wants to go to the same places and often point blank refuses to change her routes. Sometimes she will even refuse to walk when I try to 'spice things up' by taking her to strange places.

I also feel the walk is for the dog and agree, just let him go where he wants to go. He might have picked up a scent and want to follow it, bit frustrating for him if he's stopped mid sniff.

We had so many interesting walks when my dog was younger but somewhere along the way she just decided that variety isn't the spice of life.

Walks are for the dogs benefit, not yours.

If you have time, let them decide the route (as long as it's safe/practical, of course). Leave the house and wherever they head, follow them! I've done it a lot with my beagle and we've discovered loads of new places.

Yes we have dogs walks. I find them more relaxing as just go with the flow but then realise I have no idea where I am and have to trust them to get back to the car

If the cockers are allowed to choose it will always involve water, if the collies are allowed to choose it usually involves going via the sheep fields (just to check) If the old lab is allowed to choose it always involves going past the cafe I like the lab walks.

Last time I let the dog choose the walk (but told him we had to turn left out the house, not right towards the park as it was dark) he took me on a very direct route to some late night city centre takeaways, about a mile away, on a Friday night

It didn't matter, he had fun!

Yep, my current dog and previous dog both very decisive about routes. This morning my dog decided we must go to her favourite hill in the forest (which involves climbing one very steep hill, going down the other side and then up the destination hill to sit and gaze at a panorama of London in the middle distance. I tried quite hard to dissuade her but she wasn't having any - but at least I can just do a short walk later today. She also wants to explore roads she doesn't know, which is irritating when you already know it is a cul-de-sac and we are going to have to come back again. I let her do it once so she knows it is boring. With our tried and tested walks, she does like them to be alternated so that we don't go in the same direction several times in a row.

@AdvocadosBeforeMortgages my lab would love to tag alone on that Friday night walk

But also really interesting in what we think they enjoy and find reinforcing and what they do really find reinforcing

Mmm , made the mistake of letting stubborn male lab choose our walks early on in life, and now he thinks that’s his prerogative every walk. 😁