Here to guide you through the learning journey - one paw at a time
The Freedom to Explore
My favourite walks offer a bit of everything - and watching Arya explore them off the lead is one of the things I enjoy most
Robyn
7/12/20263 min read
My favourite walks are the ones that offer a bit of everything. I love routes that take you through peaceful woodland, open countryside, or anywhere with uninterrupted views where you can stop for a moment, take a deep breath, and simply enjoy being outside.
Those kinds of walks are even better when Arya can enjoy them off the lead. Dogs naturally move much faster than we do, so spending an entire walk restricted to our pace can't be much fun.
More importantly, they don't experience the world in the same way we do. While I'm taking in the scenery, Arya is exploring it through scent. Watching her stop to investigate a patch of grass that looks completely ordinary to me is a reminder that she's experiencing an entirely different walk. Giving her the freedom to sniff, explore and make her own little discoveries is one of the things I enjoy most about being out together.
I've also learned that freedom only really works when it's built on trust.
For me, recall has become the foundation of every off-lead walk. Without it, I wouldn't feel comfortable giving Arya that freedom, and I certainly wouldn't expect everyone else sharing the footpath to feel comfortable either. I don't want her disturbing wildlife, running towards livestock, or assuming every dog and every person wants to say hello. Some do, some don't, and that's perfectly okay.
That doesn't mean she's off the lead all the time. There are plenty of walks where she stays on lead because it's simply the right choice. If we're passing livestock, walking somewhere busy, or I think it's more respectful to keep her close, that's exactly what we do.
Arya isn't off the lead because she can be. She's off the lead because, in that moment, it's the right choice.
It didn't happen overnight - Arya is a terrier, which means testing my boundaries is practically a hobby. Every walk is still a training session, especially when it comes to recall. We make a game of it, and because she enjoys the game, coming back to me never feels like the end of the fun.
I always carry a treat pouch as a back-up to remind her I'm the source of all the good stuff. It helps when I need to call her away from something that's far more interesting than I am - whether that's fox poo, another dog's tennis ball, or something else only a terrier could find irresistible.
Every walk is another opportunity to practise the little things that make a big difference. Sometimes that's recall, sometimes it's walking beside me while cyclists or other walkers pass.
Those small moments have added up over time. The more time we've spent building that trust, the more freedom we've both gained from it. Arya gets to enjoy the countryside in the way that makes sense to her - following scents, investigating hedgerows and occasionally reminding me that she's still very much a terrier. And I get to enjoy watching her do exactly that, knowing we're sharing those beautiful places in a way that's respectful to everyone else around us.
Perhaps that's why they're my favourite walks. They really do offer a bit of everything - beautiful places, moments that test my patience and make me laugh, and the freedom to enjoy it all, together.
