Environmental Enrichment Walks: The Most Underrated Way to Connect With Your Dog

Why I Walk With My Dogs, Not Just Beside Them

Before I ever heard the term “intentional enrichment walk,” I was already doing it. Not because I read it in a training manual. Not because it was trending on Instagram (which didn’t even exist back then).

But because it was just what you did. It was why we had dogs.

Back then, I wasn’t walking my dogs to “tire them out.” They lived on 20 acres — they ran all day.  We weren’t out to burn energy… We were just together.

They’d sniff logs. I’d climb trees. One would stop to watch a beetle crawl through the grass, and instead of rushing them along, I’d squat down to check it out too.

That was the vibe. Turns out, this thing we were doing? It’s called an Environmental Enrichment Walk.

So What Is an Enrichment Walk?

It’s not a power walk.

It’s not a leash drill.

It’s not about mileage.

It’s about presence.

Noticing what your dog notices. Joining them in the experience — without rushing past it.

Think of it like this: your dog’s out there gathering information. Every sniff, every tail flick, every sudden pause at a patch of grass is your dog saying, "Hey, something happened here.”

And when you stop, too? When you say, “What did you find?” You’re not just being cute. You’re building connection. Because enrichment walks are about mutual curiosity.

You notice them noticing. You explore together. You take turns leading and following — just like any good team would.

And Yes — You’re Part of the Pack

That’s the part most people miss. Enrichment isn’t just about letting your dog do their own thing. It’s about showing up and saying: “I’m in this with you.”

That’s what a pack does. One goes, they all go. One stops, they all stop. And if you’re not tuned in — not watching, not acknowledging, not responding — your dog feels that.

Trust doesn’t grow from how often you cue “sit.” It grows from how often you see them. Not just look at them — but actually see them.

Why the Forest Walks Mattered

I used to walk all the tough dogs no one else wanted. I’d load them into the van and head to a piece of forest land I rented — over 100 acres. No sidewalks. No traffic. No rules. (Okay, one rule: no fighting.)

Just me, the dogs, and nature. I’d open the door, and they’d run. Sniff. Dig. Pause. And you know what happened? These “problem dogs”? They got better.

They were calmer at home. Easier to walk on leash around the block.. Not because I “fixed” them. But because I gave them space to just be dogs.

They felt seen.

They felt heard.

And they were fulfilled.

What Does This Actually Do for Your Dog?

Aside from making walks 1000x more fun? It meets their core enrichment needs:

• Mental Stimulation – Every sniff is like reading a doggie newspaper. Their brain stays busy the whole time.
• Sensory Enrichment – They’re feeling different textures, tracking smells, hearing birds, seeing movement.
• Social Enrichment – Yep, this includes you. Enrichment is a shared experience.
• Emotional Regulation – Dogs who get to process the world at their own pace tend to be more grounded and less reactive.
• Physical Enrichment- You can't adventure without walking or running. 
  
• Instinctual Enrichment - Letting your dog do things that they were created to do.

And here’s the best part: It doesn’t have to be fancy. Some of my favorite enrichment walks are barefoot in the backyard or slowly meandering down a trail with zero agenda.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being present.

Want to Start? Here’s How

First things first — let go of the “I don’t have the space” excuse. I’ve lived in plenty of places without 100 acres out the front door. That land I used to walk dogs on? It was just a property that had been for sale forever. I reached out to the owner and asked if he’d be open to renting it out short-term.

There’s always a way — especially now with things like the SniffSpot app, where people list their yards, land, or trails specifically for dog owners to rent.

Way easier than driving around looking for “For Sale” signs, trust me.

Once you’ve found a spot, try this:

• Let your dog lead. Just be their buddy, a teammate. 
• Slow down. The world won’t end if you sit next to your dog and let them sniff a log for 5 minutes. 
• Ask questions. “What did you find?” “Did you hear that?” (No answer needed.)
• Join the discovery. Bend down. Tap a log. Show them a cool feather you found. Just be part of it.

Final Thoughts

Before there were words for it… Before I had classes, or blog posts, or fancy lesson plans…

It was just me and my dogs. Wandering. Exploring. Noticing. They’d show me something weird in the woods. I’d show them something cool in the creek. We were just two different species — sharing one moment. That’s what this is all about.

So next time you go for a walk? Just be part of it.

Because when you’re part of it — Everything changes.