20/10/2026
The phone-scrolling dog walker (and why it matters more than you think)
I always find it a little sad when I pass someone walking their dog while glued to their phone. I feel for the dog. They often look bored, understimulated, desperate for something — anything — interesting to happen on their walk.
I feel for the other owners too. The ones trying to navigate around this pair. Because while phone-owner ambles along, completely oblivious, their dog is usually off lead at a distance, or out at the full stretch of a flexi lead, leaving everyone else to deal with the fallout. A trip hazard underfoot. An overexcited dog bounding in, friendly but with absolutely no brakes, while their own dog tries to hold it together. Or maybe they are walking an older or injured dog that they need to physically protect from the incumbent youngster.
So, it's not just their walk that's affected. It's everyone else's too.
This isn't about judging anyone- phones are how a lot of us stay connected. But a walk is one of the only times each day your dog gets to be truly seen. It's a chance to notice them: their choices, their curiosity, the moments they check in with you or make a good decision around a distraction. When we're not paying attention, we don't just miss out on connection but we miss the chance to keep our dogs safe. We quietly hand that responsibility to whoever else happens to be sharing the path that day.
Being present doesn't mean an intense, cue-heavy walk. It just means being there — aware of your dog, your surroundings, and the other dogs and people trying to enjoy their walk too.
Have you ever had to navigate around a distracted dog walker? What happened?
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