In high temperatures our dog walks often need to be shorter in order to prevent our canine companions overheating.
To help your dogs get the same benefits out and about, we have put together some fun ideas to jazz up your dog walks and to tire your pooch out!
Take a trip to a woodland area and turn it into your dog’s very own playground. Utilise logs for your dog to jump over, stumps/trees for your dog to practice their loose lead walking between and leafy areas for your dog to search in for a hidden toy. Your dog will experience heightened mental stimulation from the variation of textures, scents and sights that they encounter in the woods.
If you can’t access a woodland area don’t worry, you can still have fun with your dog in your environment. Why not use the long grass as a giant snuffle mat, lampposts become your extended agility weave, post-boxes become a cue for your dog to do a sit, whilst bins become their cue to do a spin or a down.
Polish up your training
Use shorter walks as mini training sessions – this is ideal as dogs learn best in small doses!
You could spend one walk focused on perfecting one of your dog’s current skills or practice a range of tricks on your strolls. You could for example work on your dog sitting by the kerb, sitting for 2 seconds instead of 1, or sitting each time you stand still – before being rewarded with their favourite treat of course!
For dogs who love their tricks and are confident performing them in an indoor environment, why not mix it up a little and work on them outdoors. You could practice a touch as a focus exercise, a crawl in the grass and a peek a boo through your legs!
