Are all dog walks created equal? Absolutely not!
If your dog’s daily walk is the same length and route, in the same location, stimulating the same senses each time, it may not be fulfilling your dog’s walking needs. Just like humans, dogs need a variety of different movements and environments in order to remain fulfilled.
We’ve outlined four different types of walk in this post that are essential for a well-walked, happy and healthy pup. Try and incorporate all four into your weekly walking routine.
Exercise walks
Just like humans, dogs need exercise to maintain their physical health. Particularly for dogs who aren’t raw fed, exercise is essential for ideal weight maintenance. Brisk walks and runs that elevate a dog’s heart rate (duration dependent on age, breed and fitness levels of each individual dog), are great types of exercise for dogs. If you’re concerned about your dog’s weight, you can speak to one of Nutriment’s in-house canine nutritional advisors to discuss which of our raw food formulations is best for supporting your dog’s weight.
Training walks
Training isn’t something that a dog should only experience in pup-hood. A well-behaved dog receives training throughout his/her life, and their daily dog walk is the perfect opportunity to sharpen up on some skills. Practicing road safety, lead etiquette and obedience skills are all great to do on dog walks, exercising both the body and mind. Don’t forget, training needs rewards! Stock up on our cold-dried and oven-baked Leo & Wolf, Lamb Puffs or other popular training treats for your training walks.
Social walks
Dogs are of course social animals. For dogs that live alone, meeting and greeting other dogs on walks is essential for fulfilling their social needs. Walks where your dog can spend time with other dogs are super important. A butt-sniff or two is the perfect midday pick me up for pups! Social media is a great tool for finding local dog walking hot spots to boost your dog’s social life.
Decompression walks
A decompression walk is undoubtedly the best type of walk to support both your dog’s physical and mental wellbeing. This type of walk is best defined as ‘a walk where the dog is allowed freedom of movement in nature’. They’re effectively the opportunity for your dog to just be a dog. No training, no human pressures, and no unnatural surroundings for them (particularly important for a dog living in the centre of a city). Decompression walks can take place anywhere ‘in nature’, meaning the beach, forest, open field etc. During these walks, dogs get the opportunity to freely sniff, explore, discover, dig, run and just enjoy themselves doing what they’re naturally built to do.
We love seeing our Nutriment pups doing what they love! Share your dog walk photos and videos with us on social media @Nutrimentraw
