Welcome to this episode of the Sexier than a Squirrel podcast, the podcast that brings you real-life dog training results, and sometimes human training ones too!
Does being a good dog owner mean taking your dog for a walk every single day? What if that walk leaves your dog stressed, overwhelmed or rehearsing behaviours you really don’t want? And what if you could meet their needs brilliantly without heading out for a traditional walk at all?
This week, Lauren is joined by Michelle to talk about Ditch the Walk – and why sometimes choosing not to walk your dog can be every bit as thoughtful as choosing to walk them.
Together, they look at what we’re actually hoping to achieve when we take our dogs for a walk. Is it an opportunity to toilet? Physical exercise? Mental stimulation? Once we understand what we want the walk to provide, we can start thinking much more creatively about how we provide it. From scent work and training games at home to fitness, enrichment and secure dog fields, the traditional walk is just one option in a much bigger toolkit.
They also explore why this can be such an important conversation for reactive, worried and Naughty But Nice dogs. We can prepare carefully, choose quieter places and train brilliantly, but we can’t control the off-lead dog that suddenly appears around the corner. Lauren and Michelle share experiences with their own dogs and explain why safeguarding confidence sometimes means being very selective about who, when, where and why you walk.
And when you do choose to head out? Preparation matters. You’ll hear how secure spaces, long lines, recall training and having a strategy for difficult moments can help you build the skills your dog needs before asking them to cope with more challenging environments.
This isn’t about never walking your dog. It’s about letting go of the idea that a daily walk is compulsory, looking at the dog in front of you and choosing experiences that genuinely work for both of you.
Want more ideas for training, enrichment and building the skills your dog needs? You can try Games Club for just £1 and discover plenty of ways to give your dog a brilliant day – walk or no walk.
