Walking into Wellness

Give your daily dog walking routine a glow up for less stress and more fun!

Happy New year friends, I am sure we've probably all started to list out our resolutions for the year by now, but have you thought about setting a New Year's resolution that and your four-legged bestie can tackle together? Dog walks don’t have to be the same old stroll—they can be a chance to bond, train, engage, and get fitter side by side. So if you're like me and love setting a new challenge for the year then I hope to inspire you to transform your daily walks to improve the physical and mental wellness of you and your pup.

A Jack Russell enjoying a wellness walk in new Ruff Diamond gear.

Why dog walking is the ultimate healthy habit

Walking is underrated. Seriously. It’s simple, requires zero equipment (well, apart from a sturdy lead and stylish harness—wink wink), and it’s something you and your dog can enjoy together. Here’s why regularly walking your dog is paws-down one of the best ways to improve the health and wellness of you and your dog.

• Physical Health Benefits: Regular walks improve cardiovascular health, help manage weight, and tone muscles for both of you. Plus, who doesn’t love feeling energised?
  

• Mental Health Boost: Fresh air, sunshine, and time with your dog are proven stress-busters. Walking also triggers those feel-good endorphins, which can turn even the grumpiest day around.
  

• Bonding Time: Walks aren’t just physical exercise; they’re an opportunity to connect with your dog. Every step strengthens your relationship.
  

• Enrichment for Your Pup: Sniffing every blade of grass (and the occasional lamppost) is like reading the morning paper for your dog. Walks engage their senses, keeping their minds sharp and happy.
  

Okay, so you’re sold on the idea that regular walking is a great way for you and your pup to stay physically healthy—great! But how do we take it one step further and improve the wellness and relationship for you both?

Well, did you know that walking your dog is the perfect time to connect more with your dog, work on training, or behavioural issues, and teach them about the human world around them? I totally understand that sometimes this can feel like a chore, or maybe walking your dog has it's own set of challenges that make you dread unleashing your hound on unsuspecting locals. But I promise that if you can implement one or maybe all of these next few things it will really make all the difference, and as a bonus you and your dog get to be happier and healthier in the process!

Walk with intention

The first step to enhancing your daily dog walk is to think about it as more than just a walk. Try to set an intention or 'goal' for every walk, this will help change the perception for you and your dog. Maybe there's a specific area you can work on with your dog like pulling, reactivity or even just getting their attention when a squirrel darts past you suddenly and you know all hell is about to break loose. Something I used to work on with my reactive dog Otis was to up his level of engagement with me on each walk over time. Remember to :

1. Start Small: Don’t commit to climbing Everest just yet. Set small realistic goals something like 10 minutes of recall training on every walk to start with, you can always build this up.

2. Be Consistent: What ever you choose to focus on, being consistent is the key to making it a habit, and something your dog is likely to start doing naturally over time. 4. Be Focused: Try not to take on too many challenges at once as this might end up confusing your dog. Instead choose one area to work on at a time.

3. Track Your Progress: Use an app or even a simple calendar to track any improvements no matter how small, as it might be hard to see in the present the impact you're having, but over time you can look back and see how far you and your dog have come.

Make walks more meaningful for you and your dog

Let’s face it, walking the same route every day, and having the same walking routine can get a little boring. So instead the best way I found to get more out of my walks was to mix things up to keep both you and your dog engaged:

1. Be Present: Put down your phone (unless it’s for capturing cute dog content, of course). Focus on your surroundings and your dog’s behaviour. Are they over excited, anxious, or calm and content. Being aware of how your dog feels on that day or in that location can determine how your walk might go or govern the type of engagement they might need from you.

2. Engage Their Mind: Getting your dog to follow a simple command, practicing some light training, or getting them to pay attention to your direction and speed is a great way to improve your dogs focus and engagement with you. 3. Time to be a dog: As well as focus and training it is also important to set out some time to let your dog sniff! It’s their way of exploring and understanding the world. Bonus: mental stimulation tires them out just as much as physical exercise. This is down time for your dog a way to decompress and have fun, try not to let every walk be a sniff fest though, as this can undo all your hard work on building up their engagement. Instead have sections of dog time throughout daily walks.

3. Invest in Great Gear: Comfortable, practical gear that fits correctly makes a world of difference. Take the time to check over your dog walking gear for signs of wear and tear or discomfort and replace anything that is looking tired. Try out different gear, if your dog isn't fond of a collar give a harness a try and vice versa. This can take a bit of trail and error but finding out what works for you and your dog can totally change how they walk with you.

4. Celebrate Wins: Even the smallest breakthrough can have a big impact, if your dog is doing something different that you want to encourage, reward them, make a fuss. If they know you like something they are more likely to keep doing it.

2025 is your year to make every walk more meaningful with your dog . Whether your working on training, or enjoyment every step is a step toward better health, a deeper bond with your dog, and a happier state of mind. So, grab that lead, slip on your comfiest shoes, and make walking into wellness your new favourite hobby.