The Power of Decompression Walks

For us to truly set our dogs up for a long-term success, it is important that we engage their brains and let them learn the joys of outdoors in their way! For plenty of dogs, a good game of fetch is just about the best thing in the world (aside from snacks). Although gentle games of chase are great fun for physically exercising your dog, it doesn’t involve a huge amount of thought.

More common in energetic or the more stubborn breeds (terriers, we’re looking at you), fetch can start to become less of a game of retrieving and more a routine of fixation and high emotion. If this sounds like your dog, we hate to break it to you, but it may be time to put that tennis ball away for a couple of weeks. Don’t worry, we’re not saying that it needs to gather dust in the cupboard for the next few years, but the aim of the game here is to establish a routine of engaging your dog’s brain on a regular basis. A Decompression Walk is all about getting blood flowing to their brain and building up their own ‘I need to figure this out alone’ process.

If your dog thinks tennis balls are far too ‘fetching’, we’d recommend limiting this to a relaxed game in the garden after a Decompression Walk.

Just remember, adrenalin and the brain are not a productive couple, so try to keep excitement on the down-low before any adventures!

Did you know that dogs can smell adrenalin? When we get stressed or anxious, our four-legged-friends can often sense our concerns and feel on-edge themselves. A decompression walk is a good way for you to relax with your dog and explore together. Taking an extra second to plan a peaceful and low fuss walk like this is the best way to take a deep breath and experience new things together. Whether they are nose down in a bush or rolling around in the muddiest puddle they can find, having a self-rewarding time together can put you both at ease and make your relationship stronger.

What works best for your dogs is entirely up to you and them – but if you’re not sure where to begin, take a look at the following steps and adapt them to suit the both of you!

Think about what they like most. Is it fishing around in streams or lakes? Sniffing in long grass? Inspecting the local bugs? It may even be digging down to some exciting underground smells!

This is the best time to plan where your next walk will be. We recommend looking for somewhere that is as natural as possible, it could be your nearest forest, beach or even your local playing fields. Just somewhere that feels free and relaxed.

Try to get here when it is as quiet as possible. Finding an undisturbed place and time can be difficult, but early and late hours, or remote locations are best to keep your dog’s nose undistracted and working.

Keep it fresh! Lots of dogs are not a fan of the rain, but once the skies have cleared, there are lots of new smells around (and less people) so this is a great chance to get out and give it a go.

If you’re feeling really brave, letting your dog roll in all sorts of muck is a completely normal behaviour. Ready the towel and be prepared to battle through a bath when you’re home.

A dog’s natural pace is much faster than our own. Giving them the space to feel free is the best first step to a successful Decompression Walk. We know that sometimes being off the lead can be a little daunting for you both, so using a ‘Long-Line’ can be a great way to give your dog more freedom to explore – even if they struggle with recall!

If you do use a longer leash, make sure to clip it to the back loop of a harness. This will prevent any sore spots if they reach the end of the leash at speed. Alternatively, if you want to use this as an opportunity to work on recall, you can find our top tips here.

Whilst behaviours can range dog-to-dog, spotting a good Decompression Walk is hugely rewarding. The first thing to note is that a high-energy dog will likely be constantly changing what they’re doing. They may be turning in new directions every few seconds, zig zagging and switching up their speed often. If you think back to a time where you have visited a friend’s house or garden with your dog, think about their behaviour here. It most likely has been a quick trot of exploration, with them seeming to be on several trails at once. This is exactly what we want! If your dog is a little lower on their energy scale, a relaxing stroll is just as good. They may stop more to investigate things, roll around an ordinary patch of grass, or snorkel in the nearest puddle.

Check their body language. A soft face and pant, relaxed body and loose tail are all good signs that your dog is happy exploring. One of the golden rules of a Decompression Walk is that we want no limitations for your dog (within safe parameters). Keep a long and loose lead and follow them wherever they choose to go. All dogs explore the world with their nose, so, no matter their energy levels, make sure you stop with them whilst they’re sniffing.

It’s completely normal for our dogs to investigate bugs and flies, it is also somewhat common to hear of dogs attempting to snack on bees, keep an eye on your dog near especially bright flowers.

If you’re planning to hunt through some long grass, make sure that you check yourself and your dog over afterwards for ticks. They can be quickly removed by your vet, though most will be able to do so at home.

Just like us when we have a long day in the office A shorter walk, whilst using their brain, can be just as tiring as a long run for your dog. Keep an eye on when they start to slow down and end it on a positive note with a big comfy bed in sight.