Walking with a dog

If you want to learn how to notice things just follow your four-legged pal’s nose

Staring into the middle distance, looking pretty adorable TBH

Hello again. How was your summer? Did you go on any interesting walks? And how’s the writing coming along? Let me know what you’re up to by commenting on this post.

Walking

The first thing I need to start with is a confession: I don’t have a dog. What I do have is my amazing friend Gregg who has the best dog in the world that I get to spend a lot of time with. I’ve known Woofy since she was a pup and it’s fair to say she’s changed my life in many positive ways. We’ve been walking together since she was a few months old when Gregg and I took her to puppy training classes. Fun fact: it’s never the dog that needs training.

Look at that face – butter wouldn’t melt, eh?

For the last five years, I’ve been walking with her whenever I get the chance. Our walks have taken many forms, from essential quick trips outside to answer the call of nature – hers, not mine – to day-long rambles in the wild.

Walking across the moors towards the sunset

Walking with Woofy has taught me a lot of things. Firstly, a dog’s emotions can be as changeable as a person’s and they need just as much love, attention and reassurance as we do – perhaps more. Sometimes she’s frantic with excitement about going for a walk. At other times she’s a bit of a moody Mandy and sits in the middle of the path, refusing to budge. I think we can all relate to that, can’t we?

Sometimes even the promise of a ball isn’t enough to get Woofy walking

You’re also never alone with a dog. They’re brilliant icebreakers, as you meet lots of people who want to come and say hello and they’re the finest of companions when it’s just the two of you.

Sharing a moment by the river

But the most important thing I’ve learned is that everything is s l o w e r with a dog. I can walk the same distance alone in half the time it takes me with Woof because she has to stop and inspect everything. And I mean ev-er-y-thing.

Inspecting the treasure we found during a geocaching walk

Some of the more interesting walks we take are the ones where I give her the space to take the lead. From the moment we step outside her nose starts twitching and she decides the direction we’ll take based on what she can smell. She sniffs at a leaf, at the air and at the path, and back and forth she goes until… she’s ready to chase the trail.

And we’re off!

She leads the way, weaving left and right through grass and gravel, leaves and litter. And she’ll even wade through rocky riverbeds, if her nose and curiosity takes her there.

A camouflaged Woofy, collecting rubbish from the River Swale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

Eventually she either finds what she was looking for, or the scent fades and she forgets what she was doing in the way that only a dog can, and she stops and waits for a ‘who’s a good girl?’ belly rub and treat.

A muddy and happy dog

For dogs, the world is a playground of possibilities. Their insatiable curiosity means they always find something new along a well-trotted path. And you can learn how to experience this, too.

Go for a walk with your dog and allow them to show you the world through their eyes (and nose and ears).

Pick a place where you walk regularly – somewhere so familiar that you’ve stopped paying attention to it – and give your dog the freedom to lead the way.

If they’re the sort of dog who’ll come back when you call them, let them off the lead to give them room to explore. Obviously, you should only do that if it’s safe, so if you need to keep them under closer control, try to let them wander as freely as you can without hindering their curiosity. If you have a garden, you might find it safer, and easier, to try this walking exercise there.

And seeing as you’re going to let your pooch off the lead, I think you should give yourself the same gift by leaving your phone at home, or switching it off, so you can be as untethered as they are.

As you walk together, pay attention to what your dog sees, hears, smells and investigates. Then give in to your own curiosity and allow yourself to discover something new or unexpected in a familiar place.

Oh, and if you’re like me and don’t have a dog of your own, you could borrow one from someone you know, or join them on one of their walks together.

Writing

Write a diary entry of your walk from the perspective of your dog. Here are some things they might want you to include:

• What was their mood during the walk? Were they grumpy or calm, bored or excitable?

• What might they have thought about the weather? Was it too hot, too cold, too wet or just right?

• Did they meet any other dogs or people? What did they think of them?

• Think about the senses they used while they explored and bring that into your writing: the smells, sounds and tastes, and how the ground felt against their paws.

• How did they feel about being on their lead – and being freed from it?

• Was there anything they noticed that they want you to know and understand? What was it?

• How does your dog feel about you and the time you shared on your walk?

Happy walking, writing and tail wagging until next time,

Sarah (and Woofy)