Social walks are not just about dogs

They are also about building a community of like-minded people that walk together supporting their dogs. And who, in doing so, support each other.

In this article, Leti invites us to join one of the social walks she organises for the local community of dog lovers to inspire us to organise such walks, too! Because they have so many surprising benefits.

Asley and Carmen with Baloo, Blue and Mía during a treat search

When we walk with a group of dogs whose bond is strong, they know themselves and the others well, they care for the wellbeing of every individual and the collective. Their families also know the dogs well, they know when they are up for a walk and when it is time to leave. They have done this with me for so long that now it is hard to imagine the walks without them.

Baloo and JJ investigating with Sombra and Clara further ahead

The dogs’ personalities count. How they fit in the walk and with the rest of the group walking on the day. They are able to walk slowly (not just play), investigate and explore together. Everyone knows what to do. If a dog in front stops, we take a moment to allow her to finish what she was doing before we continue with the walk. If we encounter difficulties - other dogs, runners, children, people, bicycles … whatever it is that a dog finds challenging, we all know what to do, how to make curves and barriers to avoid conflict.

The families can walk alongside the dogs, at a distance. Allowing for space means that both dogs and people can make choices. When they need to be close to their families, they can, and if they want to move away, they can do that, too. This freedom of movement helps the humans observe and understand their dogs.  They have time to see, recognize and acknowledge how they interact with other dogs and with people, giving them the knowledge to choose which dogs are better suited to walk with. The ones that their dog plays with the most, the ones that are too much to walk together with, and the ones that bring that state of calm that we cherish.

Then the people talk among themselves, sharing experiences, giving support and encouragement. In this social group there are no judgements. Everyone has their own story to tell. This knowledge of the humans in the group is invaluable. We share tips about walking equipment, diet, what places to walk with our dogs that are sensitive, the times that work for us and so on. But it doesn’t stop there. When dogs become friends, humans do too. There are incredible relationships of encouragement, companionship, and care between the humans in the group.

Some weeks ago, we had to say goodbye to Layka, one of the dogs in my walk group in Asturias, Spain. Layka has been on the Smiling Leash pages many times, and we are very grateful for that, and for everything that she has taught us. Saying goodbye is never easy but this is one of those occasions when the community of people and dogs got close together and supported each other. It was one of the most beautiful walks we have ever had. Maybe the dogs could sense our state of mind. I don’t know that for sure, but having this supportive community can do a lot of good for the feeling of security for everyone involved in the moment.

Rulo, Layka and Jack-Jack on a social walk with Mari, Ainhoa and Leti

Social walk, humans and dogs walking together

These walks now extend far beyond our organised walks and have helped to find walking partners for those times when we can’t all walk together. The group is made up of people that live in different cities and when they need a walking partner, most of the time they can find one closer to where they live. And I know for a fact that a lot of the people make real efforts to walk with dogs that are suited to each other.

These efforts bring wonderful results and we see much happier, social dogs and real, blossoming friendships between them.

Meeting all the dogs and people on the walks is one of the highlights of my week. The feeling of walking in nature in a group, sharing these moments, is good for humans, too.

Leti, The Smiling Leash Team