23/05/2026
It's good to keep talking about this!
Thank you to Slow Dog Movement, Laura Dobbs 🐶
Dogs, exercise, and the .
For some of you, this is elementary, for others, this may be completely new information!
We started our first Slow Dog Movement®C.I.C. year with Dr. Amber Batson (Understand Animals) presenting 'Cavorting Canines - How Exercise Affects the Body and Brain of the Dog' in December 2020.
Much of Amber's research is what we still follow today. As we learn more, we talk about what new information we have found.
Michelle Dignam came up with the first point 'Time, not distance.' Shall we go through them all with a little more detail? Yes, we shall...
1. Time, not distance - means, if you are going out for a dog walk and you don't have endless amounts of time, let your dog lead, enjoy sniffing, and exploring their surroundings for 1/2 the alloted time, and then, turn around - or walk a circular route INSTEAD of the typical A to B type walk. When people do an A to B type walk, they often have their sights on A-home to the B-park or beach in the allotted time. This often ends up that dogs are rushed either to or from A or B, or both!
2. Movement must be voluntary - Dr Amber Batson IS the first person I heard this from. It means what it says. Ask yourself 'Would my dog be engaging in this activity if I was not present?' In most cases, the answer is 'no!' Saying that your dog LOVES going for a run because they have a huge smile on their face does not count as a 'natural behaviour.' They love you. They are likely high on adrenaline. Their 'smile' is 99% a 'stress smile,' and NO, they would not run for a prolonged period of time on their own.
3. At your dog's pace - This is also self explanatory. That means, if you are at that point in your relationship with your dog - let them lead. Only go as fast as they want you to. If they are pulling and hyper-aroused, that's something that needs to be worked on in a holistic way with regard to their entire day. Please see: https://www.facebook.com/groups/slowdogmovement/permalink/805986777035932/
4. Think low parkour & proprioception - it's so beneficial for our dogs to be able to walk on more than the average, flat, hard, pavement. Look for areas with fallen logs, sand, different textures under-foot - like stones, or berms and swales. This could be in a forest, at the beach, at a building site (within safety), or anywhere where the surface helps build balance and offers better body and spatial awareness. Try to leave your helicopter parenting tendencies at home and let your dog explore!
5. Dogs need to move, but not like humans do! - This is true, and kind of not true. More and more research is coming out that tells us that humans should lessen their long runs and cold plunges and other high cortisol producing sports. Dogs do better with varied, non-repetitive exercise, that they truly choose for themselves. So, a slow, sniffy walk, a trot, a sprint on the beach sand bar, playing with a dog friends, climbing on a pile of logs or big rocks, digging etc. It's more helpful to look at what 'street dogs' do in an average day than think about how humans typically want to 'work out.'
One small request: if you quote our words, wherever they are written or spoken, we kindly ask you to tag and/or credit us. OR JUST SHARE OUR POSTS!
© SLOW DOG MOVEMENT© C.I.C. 2020-2024
