Have you ever met a dog that doesn’t love going out for a walk? All dogs have some sort of attraction to the outdoors and even the most pampered pooch loves to get muddy, but why do dogs get so excited for walks.
Despite being bred as pets and given every comfort they desire, dogs are still naturally outdoor creatures. There natural instinct for outside space and everything it offers is why dogs get so excited for walks. The added benefit of enjoying something that comes naturally to them with the person they love the most is an additional reason as to why they love walking so much.
In this article we look at the reasons why dogs get so excited for walks and what attracts them to the great outdoors. Is it more than a natural instinct or is it habit bred into them.
Contents
Why Do Dogs Get So Excited For Walks
When you ask yourself why do dogs get so excited for walks, the answer is simple…..because they enjoy them. However there are still many things that make a dog want to go for a walk and much of it revolves around there natural makeup.
The Pack Instinct
Pack instinct is something that many researchers believe to be true. Although in recent years we have discovered that the whole alpha thing is probably not as plain and simple as first thought. Even so dogs are pack animals and you are part of their pack, a family member or a friend whatever you want to call it.
Because dogs hold pack instinct in such high regard a walk becomes a journey out in the wild with their pack members. In the wild wolves or wild dogs will roam in packs and this instinct is not unfamiliar to what we experience when we walk with our dog. Even though you know what is going to happen and how long the walk will last your dog is not so clued up on these things. They may have a thought or two about how long the walk will last but to them this is just roaming with their pack and that’s one of the best experiences for a dog.
Curiosity
Curiosity resides in all of us and dogs are just the same with curiosity governing many of their decisions. Going for a walk may become a habit for a dog and they may grow to know their walk and what will usually be on it. however this doesn’t mean they don’t love to experience things on their walk and a dogs expectations for new and exciting moments never fails. Dogs live in the moment and no matter how many times they go on the same walk a dog is always ready for next moment to come round the corner.
Energy
Energetic dogs need walking and less energetic dogs need less exercise. You may find that the longer you leave that energy inside your dog the more excited they will become about going for a walk. This is natural and something that manifests along with anticipation. If you think about yourself going on holiday, you will understand how your dog feels about going for a walk. You have booked a holiday and you know your going at some point in the future. You then find that your excitement builds in the week leading up to the holiday and then declines slightly as you concentrate on actually enjoying your holiday (A strange analogy but just one that came into my head).
Senses
Dogs have incredible senses and they use them every second of everyday. Even during their time indoors they are using their noses and ears to understand the world around them. Now just imagine being able to unleash this super power on the open world and you will soon realise why dogs are so excited to go for a walk.
What Happens If You Never Walk Your Dog
Lack of exercise is always going to come out as excess energy in your dog and when you come to take them for a walk, they simply get excited. never walking your dog can cause an abundance of excess energy and it is simply not good for them. Never walking your dog can easily lead to bad behaviour as your dog try’s to expel that energy elsewhere….perhaps on your slippers. Its also possible that you are mistaking excitement for frustration which is brought on by never being walked. Frustration can manifest itself it different ways. What looks like excitement may appear as a case of the zoomies which is where your dog goes a bit crazy. these aren’t always a bad thing as everyone has to let out some frustration now and again. Check out our article on “Why Your Dog Goes Crazy After a Walk”
We all have busy lives and “something going on” but your dog doesn’t know that. its not attention they are seeking its exercise, stimulation both mentally and physically. If you find yourself never walking your dog, you need to turn the matter on its head and use walking your dog as a stress relief for yourself. So many people under estimate the health benefits of getting outdoors and you have the perfect companion to do so.
How To Stop Your Dog Getting Over Excited Before Walking
Calming your dog down can be the most challenging part of owning an excitable dog. There are a few ways to calm a dog down and we outline these below.
- Unnecessary Encouragement – Whenever our dogs get excited about going for a walk it can be tough to not enjoy these emotions ourselves. Its satisfying to see our dog happy and enjoying the life we are providing, but this encouragement can be what causes this excitement to build every time you go for a walk. Calming your dog by not encouraging this excitement is vital to future walks. Your dog is influenced by your reactions so try to ignore them without touching, talking or fussing them in any way. Concentrate best on putting the lead on and getting out the door, this way your dog will not enhance their excitement through your reactions. Check out this article on Cesars Way for a more information on calming an excited dog down.
- Schedule Shorter Walks – Speaking from experience if my dog has already been out for a walk that day, say a walk in the morning, then he tends to be less excited when i decide to go out again 4 hours later for example. If something doesn’t happen often and the walk tends to be longer with more to see, your dog will of course be more excited about this. Just like a holiday, if you go on one every week (amazing as this would be) you would end up be less excited about it than if you were to go once a year. You don’t have to take your dog for short walks all the time but introducing more walks into their schedule will decrease the excitement felt for a walk.
- Provide More Stimulation At Home – If your dog gets overly excited before a walk, it maybe because they are frustrated or desperate for some kind of stimulation. Providing your dog with toys may seem like a thankless task but it gives them something to play with and even if your not ready to walk your dog playing with them for a bit before going for a walk can help satisfy them. Remember not to play with them straight before their walk as you are just going to get them all excited even before introducing the concept of a walkies. Try giving them some kind of mental stimulation throughout the day so that when it comes time to go for a walk they wont be full of frustration and excess energy.
Conclusion
Dogs love the outdoors and getting excited is just something that they do. Remember that your dogs sense for adventure is second to none and something that you should try to enjoy with them. For more great articles check out our homepage.
