Dog Walking Meditation

Have you ever heard about walking meditation?

I find it feels more natural than just sitting somewhere with my eyes closed. When you do walking meditation, you start by focusing on your breath. Take a deep breath, maybe doing three slower inhales and exhales while you count: 1 - inhale, 2 - hold, 3 - exhale. You can also pay attention to your steps: left, right, left, right... and then shift your focus to your surroundings.

I decided to try this with my dog, and found it beneficial for both of us.

Here's how I do it:

First, I have my dog sit / stand on my side, sometimes making eye contact.

I take a deep breath exhale slowly, and say, "Let's go."

Off we go for our walk.

I focus on both our steps and on my dog, watching her body language.

Meanwhile, I keep breathing deeply (don't forget this part! 😊).

I take a deep breath: inhale, hold, exhale. I also check my surroundings to see what's happening around us.

It's best to do this on a quiet forest trail, walking slowly and enjoying the forest with all my senses.

I let my dog stop and sniff as she pleases.

When she stops to sniff, I take the opportunity to focus on my breath again: one - inhale, two - hold, three - exhale. Usually, I only get to four or six breaths before my dog is ready to walk again.

I've noticed that most dogs stop to sniff for only 3-5 seconds, so instead of getting frustrated, I wait and let them sniff. It's relaxing for them. Check out this YouTube video showing how dogs' heart rates decrease with sniffing: https://youtu.be/rJN-dycgslA.

So, instead of getting annoyed, take a deep breath, focus on your breath, your dog, and your surroundings, and enjoy your walk together.