Having a dog will certainly force you to get out and about. Since welcoming Whiksy (a golden retriever) to my life I have certainly increased the time I spend in nature as I am always looking for new adventures for him. In this article we give you some ideas on ways to spend more time outdoors with your dog.
Puppy training
It is true that if you get your dog as a puppy, during the first year of their lives you will not be going on great adventures with them. Their little bones and joints are developing and they cannot do strenuous exercise. During their first year after getting my puppy I ended up spending less time running but I still got out and about thanks to puppy training.
I started by training the dog in the garden but once they had their jabs, I introduced him to the outdoors. Going to parks was a great way of meeting other dogs and practicing commands like “stay”, “come” and “wait”. Some of the benefits of outdoor training can be found on this article.
As months went by we started going to woodlands. He loved the smells and playing around the woods. All the smells, noises and textures really awakened his senses.
During the first year of puppyhood I did not spend crazy amounts of times outdoors but I did start trying new adventures to enrich his learning experience.
This article from gingr has some good tips on what to consider before starting training outdoors that you may find useful.
If you are going out and about with your pup, we would love to hear how you are spending time outdoors with them!
Woodland Walks
Woodlands take on a new perspective when visiting with a dog. Their sense of smell gets super charged so you will see them sniffing every single corner. They’ll be absorbing the scent of trees, mushrooms and other woodland animals, like detectives, trying to find out who has left them a secret message.
Autumn is doubly special in a woodland as dogs love running around fallen leaves. Stirring up the leaves brings them pure joy!
If it is raining or it has recently rained, double points. The smells are heightened with the rain and there’s always a good puddle to run into!
During the summer the shade from trees provides a cooler place for them to be, minimising the risk of overheating.
If you visit a woodland with your four-legged friend, we would love to hear about your adventures!
Water swimming
Not all dogs like water but if you own a dog who likes getting in the water, you will surely visit places where water is the main feature.
I do not live close to the sea but the two times we’ve been with Whisky he absolutely loved it. It wasn’t love at first sight as it took him a bit to get used to the waves but once he gained confidence, he did not want to leave. Playing fetch is a fun way of getting them used to the water. Seeing his enthusiasm getting in and out of the sea put a smile on my face and truly tired him up!
Because we don’t live close to the sea most of the times the access to water we have is. a stream in our local park. Even when he goes in a stream to splash it is a happy occasion.
Especially in the summer, I sometimes chose this park that has a stream for him to nip into the water and stay cooler.
My previous dog, a rough collie, didn’t like getting into the sea but he did enjoy chasing a sprinkler!
Share with us how your dog likes water, do you live by the sea and is water a normal feature in your dog walks?
Park run
Not all of my dog outings are in the great outdoors. Our local park features quite a lot. If it wasn’t for my dog, I wouldn’t probably visit it as often.
It is a great place to meet other dogs and other dog owners.
During the puppy days it was also a great place to train and socialise him.
On the weekends there is also a coffee truck so I sometimes go on Sunday mornings with the excuse to take the dog for a walk, just to get a coffee. Win win for the dog and me!
You can check which parkruns are dog friendly on parkrun’s website here.
If you go to parkrun with your dog, we would love to hear about your experience!