Fun Matters for Walks
No matter the size, breed, personality, age or energy level, all dogs deserve enrichment and opportunities to explore and sniff.
Be your dog’s best pal by not falling into a common boring routine – taking your dog on a walk at the same time of day for the same duration and on the same route.
On our daily walks, I purposely take my dogs, Kona and Emma, to different locations in my neighborhood and even drive to nearby parks for variety.
After meeting certified professional dog trainer Kris Hale, I began jazzing up our walks. She is a major advocate of a fun canine activity called dog parkour. Yep, you read it right: p-a-r-k-o-u-r.
“Parkour is basically a fun way to engage with a dog,” says Kris, who is the founder of Best in Dog training center in Marietta, Georgia. “You are teaching a dog to climb, jump, balance, go over things, go under things in a fun manner.”
Parkour Offers Many Benefits
Kris, who is also a certified dog trainer with the International Dog Parkour Association, identifies these parkour benefits to dogs:
- It can be done in the city, suburbs or rural settings.
- It costs nothing
- It is a low-impact sport.
- It builds confidence in dogs
- You don’t need to buy any equipment.
“For many dogs, a walk can be so ho hum,” says Kris. “But by introducing parkour, a dog can be asked to jump on a bench or jump over a log or climb up on a large rock. We have found that parkour is great for dogs who are reactive and might bark at other dogs because they need to listen to what you are asking them to do and then they do it and get rewarded.”
She is also an advocate for parkour for three more reasons – the impact it has made on her three dogs, Dezra, Hank and Joan Jett.
“My Dezra is a shredder and a digger who loves doing parkour,” says Kris. “Hank was shy and had some separation issues when my husband, Stephen and I first adopted him, but with parkour, we have seen his confidence grow. And Joanie was not socialized as a person and now has become a sweet, kind, loving dog.”
With parkour, Kris advises to always factor in the dog’s abilities and health status. Keep the activities at safe levels to avoid any injuries.
Parkour is also a healthy option for times when the weather is very hot, and you do not want to risk heat-related issues with your dog during a walk. You also want to protect your dog when temperatures drop, and sidewalks are icy.
“You could shorten the walk on hot days and spend some time teaching your dog a parkour trick in the shade or indoors,” says Kris. “During the winter, parkour activities can be done indoors, too.”
Enrichment
She reminds pet parents that dogs love to think and solve problems. Once a dog knows how to place two front paws up on say, a fire hydrant, then teach him a new cue: to go around and circle the fire hydrant. This has become one of the favorite activities for my dog, Kona to perform during our neighborhood walks.
Set your dog up for success by starting parkour activities in a low-distraction environment. This enables your dog to focus on honing his skills before testing them in populated areas.
“Dog enrichment is really tapping into what makes a dog a dog,” says Kris. “It can be innate behaviors like licking, chewing, and sniffing as well as digging. By allowing our dogs to do doggy things like sniffing, shredding and digging, it reduces their stress level and helps to build their confidence. You can bring out the best in your dog.”
Here are some examples of canine enrichment:
- Sniffing
- Foraging
- Shredding
- Digging
- Chewing
- Licking
- Games
- Learning tricks
Enrichment offers these benefits:
- Provides mental and physical stimulation
- Helps meet the needs of each dog
- Encourages desired specific dog behaviors
- Encourages dogs to think and problem solve
- Alleviates boredom
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Gives dogs a fuller life
“In dog training, we need to be careful not to just say no, no, no, but divert them to desired behaviors that we can say, yes, yes, yes,” says Kris.
She is a major advocate for allowing dogs to sniff.
“Sniffing is essential to a dog’s well-being,” says Kris. “It is an important part of who they are. It feels good for them. Sniffing activates the seeking system part of the brain and research has shown that sniffing is calming, reduces anxiety and reduces the pulse rate in dogs.”
Safe sniffing activities include the use of a sniffari or snuffle mat and playing the ‘find it’ game by tossing a few treats for the dog to sniff and find.
Learn more about this emerging canine sport by visiting the International Dog Parkour Association at www.dogparkour.org.
More about Kris Hale
Kris Hale is the founder of Best in Dogs, based in Marietta, Georgia who volunteers and fosters dogs from Fulton Animal Services. Learn more at www.bestindog.com. And catch her guest appearance on Arden Moore’s Four Legged Life show by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSmXI1tvzCo
Learn more
You can learn more on ways to keep your cats and dogs safe by visiting http://www.propethero.com. Consider taking our veterinarian-approved online pet first aid/CPR course. Enter this code: CPR – ARDEN MOORE and receive a 10 percent discount! And, if you are interested in becoming a Pro Pet Hero instructor, please click on the BECOME AN INSTRUCTOR button on the home page for more details.