19/05/2023
The value of decompression days.
Freja had a day off yesterday. That meant no walks (toilet only) - shock, horror.
It may seem counterintuitive for a dog professional to recommend a period of reduced or no walks - from just a day up to 2 weeks. This really allows dogs' cortisol, adrenaline & noradrenaline (stress chemicals) levels to come down naturally, which takes days not hours.
Having a regular decompression day can be really beneficial for dogs who find the world a scary place - reactive/aggressive dogs, dogs with generalised anxiety, pessimistic dogs ...
I've recommended to far more clients that they walk their dog less, than I have recommended walk their dogs more (only one client I can recall).
Many of my clients to whom I have recommended fewer walks have been understandably dubious about this, anticipating that their dog will be bouncing off the walls. Every single one of them has found the opposite, in practice.
Freja spent all day yesterday sleeping, with less than 5 minutes of training at home. Today, she has been sparko all morning. As the day goes on, I'll gage if she would benefit from another walk-free day today, or a short, sniffy walk later.
If your dog finds the outside world a stressful place, consider a regular decompression day - Freja has one every week. You can replace their walks with training at home, play & enrichment - or you can just let them rest.
If you, too, find walking your dog stressful, regular walk-free days can also give you some respite.
