Exploring the True Purpose of a Dog’s Walk
Dogs embark on their own journeys for their own reasons. They wander with clear intentions. Their instincts and innate desires, deeply embedded in their genetic makeup, shape the destination and purpose of their journey. So, let's join our dogs on their outings instead of just taking them out. Allow your dog to guide you on a voyage through history. This article is written in memory of Koi, one of Petli's canine founders, a legend who unfortunately has left this earthly life.
Exploring your dog's natural instincts in the forest
I hold the leash while my descendant of a wolf, a domesticated predator, a dog, purposefully walks ahead of me. We head towards the forest, and his nose leads the way. We leave the gravel road behind and let moss support paws and feet. We venture onto a ridge that leads to the most beautiful of views. Once there, a finely tuned dog nose scans the surrounding forest and the meadow below. He points intensely towards the clearing in the valley, his senses sharpen, and his body tenses. He sneaks towards the scent that has captured his interest. He feels the wind and skirts the clear-cut so that the prey won't catch our scent. And I follow. Because I want to be his fellow traveler and be part of his world. This journey tells me something about him as well as dogs, that he cannot convey in words. Perhaps our forest trip symbolized a hunt for him. A hunt with no purpose to fill his stomach, just an exciting adventure in the wilderness. A wilderness his genes tell him is his home. We sneak around for a while, but the prey detects us and flees. It's probably my fault. I'm clumsier than he is, I snap a twig, breathe too loudly. He's patient with me. Once in the clearing, I sit down on a stump, he sniffs around before letting go of the thought of the prey and wriggling around in the moss. We savor the moment, fully immersed in the now, him and me.
Return home with something from the forest
On the way back, he no longer sneaks, his body is relaxed. Another scent don't makes us veer off course, the pace is steady, the direction clear. We're heading home. No one wanders aimlessly, no one searches, now we travel. The journey home is a straight line. When we catch sight of the roof through the forest branches, we slow down, playfulness emerges, and we race each other for the last stretch. On the way home, when everything smells familiar again, the tension from an expedition subsides.My dear dog stops, finds a large branch to carry home, we help each other, we must return with something. That's the way of the wolf. Something is to be brought back, that's how a successful treasure hunt should ends. We put the branch in the yard, next to yesterday's find.·Reunions with those who stayed at home are imminent, the couch awaits, windows will be gazed out of, the yard will be surveyed, and food bowls will be checked. A newspaper will be read, and a bone will be gnawed on. Before it's time for our next journey. This is our daily routine, our walks are adventures. The same thing happens in a wolf family.
Purposeful and aimless wandering
My dog and I we take a lot of walks. Sometimes we stroll aimlessly, wherever we please, discovering and experiencing. Other times we search, look for something we need: water, game, berries, or mushrooms. Sometimes, we take the "round" around our territory. We check who has passed by, he leaves his scent around the territory line and reinforces the boundaries of the our homestead. Often he stops, listens, watches. We do as the wolves. Sometimes we keep watch, sometimes we wander. For wolves or wild-living dogs, a walk is rarely purposeless. There's a reason to head out. Maybe game has left or arrived and restocked the pantry? Most often the goal is to patrol, check if external tracks have crossed the pack's own, which were laid around the territory the day before. Has someone intruded? It might be time to strengthen the "fence" – a barrier of the pack members' scents, urinating on each other's urine to fortify the curtain protecting the home. The message "We live here" is important for territorial animals.
The important daily routine
Our pet dogs carry the drive in their DNA. So, don't think that the walk around the block is boring; on the contrary, it's essential. It marks the territory and should be a consistent routine. It should take time, and the focus should be on sniffing and marking. Many dogs feel secure patrolling their area daily. They need to check what the neighbor's cat has been up to since yesterday, mutter a few words to the terrier who lives in apartment 5, pee on the mailbox of the grumpy dog, and sniff the lamppost that everyone else has urinated on. If we try to oppose this, if we tug on the leash and interrupt, we're interfering with something incredibly important to dogs.
Balancing routine and adventure
Just sticking to the same routes day in and day out without ever going on an adventure, a hunt, or exploring new environments is not ideal, rather boring actually. Sometimes wild dogs and wolves set out on excursions to expand their territory, find new water sources, check on the carcass in the valley, discover tasty berries, scout for new dens, or simply observe the movements of the wildlife. Sometimes these adventures have a clear goal, but often they're freer than the routine patrols.
Create adventure and strengthen your dog's senses
Our pet dogs love it when we leave the beaten path and venture into the wilderness. Adventures and experiences await. You might find an amazing stick, some blueberries to snack on, or a nice hole to dig deeper together. We need to provide our furry friends with this outlet. And we benefit from being in that state of mind. There's a presence and mindfulness in it all.·So skip yoga one day, step off the trail, and search for an elk bone or a meadow full of butterflies. Lean on your four-legged companion going uphill and share a treat at the summit. Understand that when you go out, you're not just taking a walk. There are innate and important purposes behind each outing, originating from the native needs flowing through the veins of our four-legged companions. Embrace it.
Also check out our article on Dog adventures - enriching your dog's life to see how you can turn daily walks into exciting adventures for your dog. For more insights on dog well-being, read Enrichment - let your dog be a dog! There are many memories to be made, such as camping with your dog - a guide to a successful adventure! or Swimming with dogs: how to teach your dog to swim with you.
Written by: Caroline Alupo
Caroline Alupo is Petli's co-founder. She has a master's degree in ethology and is also a trained dog trainer and dog psychologist. She has 19 years of experience as a professional dog trainer. Read more about Caroline here.
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