Taking a long two-hour loop through the forest at a good pace… that sounds perfect for a dog, doesn’t it? And yet, this type of walk, while physically useful, is not always enough to meet a dog’s deeper needs. If your dog is still excited when you get home, barks for no obvious reason, or seems stressed despite the outing, it may be that pace and freedom matter more than duration. In this article, we explain why slowing down and letting go can sometimes be among the best gifts you can give your companion. As usual, the discussion is supported by scientific data.
A dog’s needs during a walk are not only physical
We too often forget that a walk is not only about burning off energy. It is also, and above all, a way for a dog to read the world.
According to a 2018 study by Dr Stefanie Riemer (University of Bern, Switzerland), olfactory stimulation activates brain areas associated with pleasure and emotional regulation. In practical terms, a dog that is allowed to sniff at their own pace can reduce stress levels and develop greater emotional stability.
A fast walk with no freedom to sniff is like being made to run through a museum without being allowed to look at any of the artworks.
The forest: an ideal environment… if we respect a dog’s way of using it
The forest is a place for exploration, rich in smells, textures and sensory information. But if we cross it in a straight line without stopping, the dog misses what matters most.
Ethologist Marc Bekoff (2007) points out that dogs, like other canids, use their time outdoors to analyse their environment, detect the traces of other dogs or wild animals, and adjust their social behaviour accordingly.
Frequent stops, detours and even turning back are not wasted time. They are moments of reading the territory — a genuine daily scent newspaper.
Freedom and autonomy: major factors in wellbeing
Allowing a dog to choose their pace, their route or the places where they want to linger actively contributes to their balance. Researcher Charlotte Duranton (Aix-Marseille University, 2020) showed that dogs given more control over their outdoor activities display fewer stressed or reactive behaviours.
This is what is known as a decompression walk: slow, free and with no performance goal.
In practical terms, a decompression walk means:
- Ideally off-lead, where it is safe to do so
- At a slow pace
- With as many sniffing breaks as the dog wants
- In silence or in a calm environment
- Ideally with no fixed duration
Can a fast walk be counterproductive?
Yes, in some cases. A dog that is already anxious or overexcited can come back from a fast walk even more tense if their needs for exploration, autonomy and emotional regulation have not been met.
It is even common for some dogs that are used to very athletic walks to develop chronic overstimulation: they keep asking for more without ever reaching a calm state.
It is not physical exhaustion that calms a dog; it is emotional regulation through the environment and freedom of action.
In summary
Walking fast and for a long time can be good. But walking slowly, freely and with the nose to the ground is often better. The ideal walk is not about kilometres covered, but about quality time spent exploring, breathing, choosing, stopping and starting again.
If you really want to give your dog a moment of happiness, slow down. Let them decide. The forest is not a training track: it is a world to decode. And your dog is an enthusiastic reader.
📚 Scientific references
Riemer, S. (2018). Nosework: olfactory enrichment reduces stress indicators in dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science.
Bekoff, M. (2007). The Emotional Lives of Animals.
Duranton, C. (2020). Giving dogs more agency: how choice reduces stress in companion animals.