KILDARE ANIMALS IN NEED COLUMN: Canine delights of walks in the woods
KWWSPCA Column
Autumn leaves and the wide range of dying shrubs at this time of year provide dogs with lots of new smells, which brings great variety to their walks.
Dogs are social and intelligent creatures, who require mental exercise as much as they do physical exercise.
They have incredibly sensitive noses with up to 300 million scent receptors. When you compare this to a human’s six million, we start to see why dogs enjoy sniffing so much. That’s why slower walks at the dog’s pace can be really pleasurable for your dog, as they can glean so much information from the many different smells.
Calming
Sniffing can also be very calming for dogs. We often take our rescue dogs from the shelter for walks in Killinthomas Wood in Rathangan, Donadea Forest Park, or along the Blessington lakes.
A meandering sniff session on a long-leash can release the mood-boosting chemical dopamine in their brain. Apart from the different smells from the flora, they are also discovering the different scents of other animals who live in the wild.
They come back to the shelter completely relaxed and sleep well after their adventure.
Kildare & West Wicklow Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ltd
Registered Charity Number: CHY 6280
Website: www.kwwspca.ie
Email General: [email protected]