Walk Your Dog Month 2024 - The Perfect Time To Explore London
I am so lucky to be able to explore so much of London as a dog photographer, from pockets of green scattered in local neighbourhoods to the vast expanses you can disappear into for a time such as Hampstead Heath and Richmond Park. And let’s not forget all the shapes, lines, and pillars that can be found on our streets. This January sees the return of Walk Your Dog Month and the perfect time to get out there with your dog and explore our city for yourself. I have put together this guide on what Walk Your Dog Month is and a few ideas for enjoying it with your dog.
Walk Your Dog Month 2024:
Walk Your Dog Month is an annual celebration that takes place throughout January, aiming to underscore the importance of regular exercise and outdoor activity for our dogs. This month-long event reminds dog owners to commit to walking their dogs more often, promoting physical and mental well-being for both dogs and their humans.
Walk Your Dog Month conveniently spans the entire month of January, making it a perfect opportunity for dog owners to kickstart the year by establishing healthy habits for themselves and their canine companions.
The 2024 instalment of Walk Your Dog Month urges dog owners to prioritize daily walks, highlighting the positive impact of regular exercise on a dog's overall health. The campaign encourages the creation of healthy routines that include outdoor activities, inspiring dog owners to explore various walking routes, parks, and trails with their pets.
Photograph taken in Clissold Park. To learn more about portrait sessions, please click here.
Celebrating Walk Your Dog Month:
Walk Your Dog Month serves as a crucial reminder that dogs, as our companions, require regular exercise and mental stimulation to stay healthy and happy. Participating is fun and incredibly rewarding. Dog owners can pledge to walk their dogs daily, regardless of the weather. Exploring new routes and places, involving the whole family in dog walks, or setting walking goals are key ways to celebrate. Additionally, socializing with other dogs if your dog enjoys that and capturing memorable moments for social media sharing adds an extra layer of enjoyment. Regular walks offer a multitude of benefits for dogs, both physical and mental. Not only does it contribute to their overall health, but it also strengthens the bond between dogs and their owners. Ensuring safety during dog walks is paramount. Proper leashing, identification, and awareness of surroundings help create a secure environment for both the dog and the owner.
Inspiration and community engagement:
Get creative with walking routes and exploring parks, nature trails, and dog-friendly areas, which can add excitement to the routine. Connect with fellow dog owners during Walk Your Dog Month. Share experiences, tips, and memorable moments on social media, fostering a sense of community among dog lovers and finding new places to explore. Below are a few more ideas if you’re looking for inspiration.
The simplest source of inspiration for me is Google Maps. If you’re looking for a new park to explore, why not just open it up and pick one you’ve never been to before? That’s how I discovered Gunnersbury Park.
Apps such as AllTrails and Go Jauntly offer guided routes around historical streets in London, as well as our parks which may lead you to discovering something for the first time if you’re usually more of a wanderer.
When visiting your favourite dog-friendly cafes such as Romeo & Juliet's in Hampstead or Pawsitive in Notting Hill, if it’s possible, walk your dog to them instead of taking transport so that they get to enjoy the street sniffs. And if you’re keen to explore more of dog-friendly London, as I am, I highly recommend checking out the best new app on the scene: Dog City.
Go for a sniffy walk. When was the last time you took your dog outside and let them sniff for as long as they wanted to and in whichever direction their nose wanted to follow? This is my all-time favourite thing to do with dogs. Just head outside, keep them leashed on the street for safety of course, and discover the city from their point of view by letting them control where you go and at whatever pace they choose. Remember, sniffing is super engaging for dogs mentally and is a form of exercise that is sadly overlooked by many. It is actually one of the best things your dog can do for their health, behaviour, and energy levels. Just remember to keep an eye out for nasties on the ground, as we unfortunately aren’t known for our pristinely clean streets!
Attend a dog meet-up. There are plenty of breed-specific and general dog meet-ups across London. The ethics of those running them is super important, and remember to only take your dog to these meet-ups if they are not only comfortable in large groups of dogs, but actually enjoy it. I recently attended the popular Hyde Park Sausage Dog Walk for their annual Christmas gathering and really enjoyed how relaxed both the dogs and the humans were. If you are looking for a breed-specific dog walk, I know that Daisy has an upcoming dachshund walk. There is also Sighthound Sundays and PomeMania! for London’s Pomeranian community. Hyde Park seems to be a hotspot for meet-ups actually, as I saw a few others happening on my way to the sausages so I would definitely recommend scouting there on a weekend if you’ve never been. Meetup is a popular website for the dog community to arrange their walks together. You’ll also find local dog groups for your town on Facebook!
Clean Up! You could combine your dog walks with doing some good. Take some trash bags and gloves with you on your dog walks, and pick up the litter you see in the parks to help keep them beautiful and safe for everyone to enjoy.
Photography sessions are something I should maybe mention, considering who I am. It’s so important to document your dog’s life, and Walk Your Dog Month gives you a great chance to find new locations and capture moments of your dog living their best lives! Share your photos on Social Media using the hashtag #pawsexplorelondon
Take part in a challenge! For Walk Your Dog Month, Pooch & Mutt and Perro have partnered to give dogs and their humans. a fantastic prize for taking part in their dog walking challenge.
Over TO YOU:
Will you be actively taking part in Walk Your Dog Month? Do you have any tips or favourite places to share with me and others? I am always looking for new places to explore and photograph dogs in. Let me know in the comments where your favourite walks are, and I’d love to see how much you’re enjoying your January with your dog on Instagram or Facebook.
