Dog Walking in the Countryside
We are incredibly lucky to have such beautiful places to walk near us. We have an abundance of countryside, woodlands, heathlands and parks surrounding us.
I wanted to write this blog because recently, during some 121 training sessions, I’ve noticed that many dog guardians don’t realise how beneficial it is to walk their dog in different locations. It is easy to fall into the trap of putting your dog’s lead on and walking to the nearest park a few steps away, but after a while, that can become boring for your dog and we all know that boredom can present behavioural concerns.
It is so worthwhile visiting different places and adding variety to your dogs’ walks. Variety builds confidence in your dog, aids socialisation and is a great way to provide additional mental stimulation and enrichment for them. I rarely walk my dogs from our house as I get bored walking roadside let alone them. I’d much rather be in the open countryside watching my dogs explore, sniff freely and set their own pace. Living in Surrey, we don’t have to drive far (we also have good public transport links) and if you would like to see some of our recommended walk locations, please click here.
This blog explores the benefits of walking in the countryside for both us humans and our dogs but also explains how we can do this so our walks are enjoyable, trouble and stress free and how to keep our dogs safe and protect the environment and wildlife.
What are the benefits of walking in nature?
Well, firstly, it’s a great form of exercise. For us human’s it provides a great way to keep fit without the monotony of exercising in a gym where the scenery never changes and for dogs, it provides them with an opportunity to explore, to engage in natural behaviours, to stimulate and engage their senses and to sniff which helps lower heart rates and induce feelings of calmness.
Getting outdoors is proven to help both the physical and mental health of humans and dogs as it can lower stress and anxiety levels and improve overall health, happiness and wellbeing. It can even boost immune systems and the fresh air can aid sleep!
Nature walks offer peaceful environments and different calming stimuli compared to busy town or city walks that are full of noise and concrete. If your dog has a good recall then off-lead nature walks provide places where dogs can make their own choices and set their own pace, run free, keep fit and prevent obesity.
Walking in nature offers dogs more space and freedom to run, play and explore and provides them with both mental and physical stimulation and enrichment, preventing them from becoming bored and engaging in undesirable behaviours.
They get to experience new sights, smells and sounds and this can aid their socialisation (if done properly)! If puppies are introduced to wildlife, other animals, dogs and people on walks carefully and by keeping experiences positive with proper supervision and management they, their humans and others will enjoy much happier and stress free walks.
For me, walking amongst the trees or in open countryside with my dogs really helps to boost my mood and give me time to think - it’s actually where most of my ideas come to life or develop! I love sitting on a bench and watching the world go by as I listen to the chatter of birdsong and catching the sight of a deer, a rabbit or bird of prey is always a bonus!
Dog walking, whether that be with my own dogs or through my dog walking service, is my tranquil time. It’s when I relax, can shut away the noise and feel calmness seep in. It’s my reset button.
I’m so happy that I am able to give my dogs the opportunity to visit such beautiful places as we get to share more and more adventures, make memories and share time together which as your dog grows older you realise how precious that is.
Walking in the Countryside Responsibly
Whether rambling over heathland, exploring in the forest or ambling along a river, dog walkers (whether professional or not) should respect that we are sharing the space with others - not just other dog walkers but wildlife, livestock, birds, insects, horse riders, joggers and cyclists etc.
If we all have respect for each other then everyone’s experience of the countryside can continue to be positive and enjoyable and there are a number of things dog walkers can do to ensure this. There are a number of useful references which I have attached at the bottom of this blog but in summary, there are 5 key areas to follow:
1. Keep your dog under control and within sight
Make sure that your dog is not a nuisance to other people, dogs, animals or wildlife.
Don’t assume that just because your dog is friendly it is OK to let them approach other dogs. Every dog is entitled to their personal space and other dogs may not want to say ‘hello’ to your dog. If you see a dog on lead, call your dog back and put your dog on lead too until you have safely passed. The other dog may be on a lead for a reason (e.g. in training, in season, recovering from surgery or injury, poor recall, anxious, reactive etc).
Prevent your dog from approaching other dogs, people (especially children), cyclists, runners and horse riders unless you know for sure they are happy to engage.
If your dog does not have a solid recall, then they should be kept on a lead or long training line to prevent unwanted interactions.
Professional Dog Walkers should only walk the number of dogs that they can safely manage but in any case, this should not be more than 6 and they should also give way to other users on narrow paths.
If your dog pulls on a lead or needs help to improve their recall, contact a local trainer such as myself who uses modern, scientifically proven training methods that aren’t cruel or restrict their freedom.
Ensure your dog’s microchip is up-to-date and that they are wearing a legal ID tag.
Remember it is better and much less stressful for all to be praised by others for having a ‘beautifully trained dog’ rather than being shouted at for being an irresponsible dog owner who has little or no control over their dog!
2. Protect wildlife, plants and livestock
Keep dogs on leads around grazing animals so they are less likely to worry them. Take particular care when livestock have young or are pregnant as a dog’s natural instinct to chase can cause distress, injury or death and remember that a farmer can legally shoot a dog that is worrying their livestock.
Ensure that you close gates behind you to keep livestock contained.
During the warmer months, look out for adders, our only venomous snake. Whilst they don’t like to attack for no reason, they will if they feel the need to defend themselves or their young. If your dog does get bitten, try to keep it calm, stop it from walking by carrying them if possible and get straight to a vet without delay calling them on route to tell them the situation.
A great deal of our rare bird species nest on the ground and keeping ‘paws on the paths’ will stop your dog disturbing these ground nesters. If your dog is a wanderer and likes to run through long grass, it is best to keep them on a lead or long training lead, especially during March to September. Remember, this can also protect your dog against injuries from grass seeds and picking up ticks which can spread harmful diseases.
Keeping to the paths is also important for protecting certain plants such as the beautiful bluebells. These only last for a short time and are protected. Enjoy the wild beauty of them, but in a way that continues to protect them rather than destroy them.
3. Clean Up Dog Mess and Litter
Clean up any dog mess and dispose of it responsibly.
Dog mess can cause infections and diseases in people and other animals and can result in the death of sheep and abortion in cattle. It can also affect the special soils that rare plants need to survive.
Make sure your dog is wormed regularly to protect them, other people and other animals.
Being a responsible dog owner or professional dog walker requires you to have poop bags at all times. If you can’t find a waste bin to dispose of your used poop bags, you need to take them away with you. I can highly recommend Dicky Bags as they allow you to carry your used poop bags whilst keeping your hands free.
4. Be prepared and follow local signs
Even when you go out locally, it is best to check for updated information about when and where you can go. Your rights to walk might be affected at certain times due to breeding season, maintenance work, nature conservation etc.
5. Keep dogs safe
There are also other things you can do to keep your dog safe and that includes:
Teaching your dog that coming back to you is fun by playing games with them and reinforcing the behaviour with food, praise and toys.
Don’t throw sticks for your dogs, these can cause horrific injuries, instead play with appropriate toys or encourage sniffing games to enrich their walks.
Don’t exercise dogs for at least an hour before or after they have eaten.
Avoid heatstroke by walking your dog in the cooler hours, make sure they have access to shade and take plenty of water with you.
Don’t let your dog drink unclean water, it may be poisonous.
Complete a Canine First Aid course to help you know what to do in the early stages of emergency situations.
Read up on what to do if in case your dog goes missing whilst on a walk.
There are miles and acres of open countryside just waiting for you and your dog to explore, make memories at and discover, but always be respectful and mindful of other visitors so we can keep these places special and enjoyable for all.
I realise that not all dogs can do this and that’s fine, there are other great ways and places to enrich their lives but if you have a dog that can enjoy walks in public green spaces safely, it’s worth doing!
The government countryside code - advice for countryside visitors
Surrey County Council Dog Walking Code of Conduct
