How Leash Walking Alone Hurts Your Dog's Mental Health

You probably walk your dog every day – maybe even multiple times per day – on a leash to get their exercise. But did you know that many breeds of dogs actually need some free off-leash play time in their schedule as well? And all dogs get greater mental stimulation if you vary their play time including incorporating free roaming.

According to Dr. Marisa Fitzpatrick DVM, “Within the right parameters, dogs can benefit greatly from off leash time. They can explore more freely and sniff around, and it’s great for mental stimulation and training. For some breeds, like hunting dogs, working dogs (Great Pyrenees, Border Collies, etc.), time to roam and explore is helpful to fulfill inherent breed behaviors and needs. These are not breeds to keep cooped up in the house all day!”

Written by: Jennifer Joyce, the President of SpotOn Fence and one of the people entrusted to serve French Bulldogs, Lucy & Henry. She grew up on a farm in Oregon with Golden Retriever, Butch, and black cat, Lucky. Their lifestyle of running free on the farm inspired her to join SpotOn to help more dogs run free off leash. She has over 10 years of pet industry experience for brands such as Kurgo & Embark Vet. She has written about many topics related to incorporating pets into your life, such as hiking, camping, urban exploring, travel safety and international travel.