Every new year comes with some version of the same intention: move more.
More steps. More fresh air. More exercise and more time away from screens.
If you already have a dog, walking probably is already part of your day-to-day. But you might want to go on longer walks, go for runs or be more mindful on the walks you already do everyday.
Whichever one it is, the first important thing you’ll want to tackle is removing friction: find equipment that doesn’t need constant adjusting, have everything you need within reach, and allow yourself to enjoy the moment. When walking feels smooth instead of effortful, it stops being something you try to optimize and becomes something you naturally keep doing. Day after day, without overthinking it.
Why Dogs Create Sustainable Movement
Most exercise resolutions fail because they rely on willpower. Life gets busy, weather changes, energy dips, and suddenly the routine disappears.
Luckily dogs don’t negotiate with excuses.
They need to go out. They need to move. And because they rely on you, movement becomes non-optional. Morning walks set the tone for the day, short outings offer natural pauses between work and home life. Evening walks help both dog and human decompress.
This kind of movement isn’t about intensity or performance. It’s about showing up consistently, even on ordinary days. And that’s exactly why it lasts and why involving your dog into your new years resolutions might be the best thing you can do.
When Walks Feel Hard, It’s Usually Not About Motivation
If walking your dog feels like something you avoid or rush through, it’s rarely because you don’t care. More often, it’s because something in the experience creates friction.
A harness that doesn’t sit quite right. A leash that constantly tangles. Full pockets, dirty hands, not scheduling in enough time or the feeling that you’re always missing something. These small frustrations compound until walks feel messy instead of grounding.
At the start of the year, it’s worth paying attention to how your walks actually feel. Notice any friction points and solve them as soon as you can. Go out without your phone so you can truly be in the moment with your dog. Enjoy your surroundings and pay true attention to the world around you.
When your walks become a moment of mindfulness and coming back to yourself, walking becomes something you settle into rather than push through.
Your dog might teach you something
Dogs love sniffing the same patch of grass, pausing to observe, moving at a pace that allows their nervous system to regulate and enjoy the things they encounter on the way. This is how dogs process and explore the world.
When you allow yourself to adopt similar habits (though you can skip the grass sniffing part), you might find your walks become a whole different experience.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need at the start of something new.
Good luck and best wishes,
Elle from team Pelsbarn
