For humans a walk is something we often do for exercise, or to visit new places and admire scenery. What about for dogs?
If walking a dog was purely about physical exercise then all we'd need to do to pop them on a treadmill for half an hour, but it is so much more than that. Walking your dog is both the opportunity to build on your relationship and gather happy moments and memories, and is hugely enriching for them!
I am a huge fan of walking WITH your dog (so put the phone into your pocket). Walking with your dog rather than walking your dog means you can allow them to investigate their surroundings, enjoy the scents and sights, learn to read their body language so you can predict where they are likely to go to sniff. Dogs gather vast amounts of information through sniffing and has the added bonus of being a mental workout for them, so it's vital that you give them opportunities to sniff. Try and see what opportunities the environment gives you - a tree stump to do some tricks on or even taking them to have a splash in puddles (if they like the water).
If you have a dog with limited recall, make use of a long lead away from roads so they can still explore and investigate while remaining under control.
