#DontWalkYourDogDay – 2nd April
What is #DontWalkYourDogDay?
Not all dogs love their walk.
In fact, for some dogs – especially those who are nervous, anxious, reactive, or over-excitable – the daily walk can actually do more harm than good.
#DontWalkYourDogDay is here to spread the word:
You don’t have to walk your dog every day.
And choosing not to walk them is not a failure – it can be the kindest thing you do.
Why it matters
Whether your dog…
• gets overwhelmed by the outside world
• struggles with reactivity or anxiety
• is recovering from illness, surgery, or injury
• finds walks too over-stimulating
• causes your anxiety levels to soar
• or just doesn’t enjoy them
…this campaign is for you.
Founder and dog behaviour expert Niki French created #DontWalkYourDogDay to empower owners with alternative ways to meet their dog’s needs – that don’t rely on a traditional walk.
🐾 “I used to think my own rescue dog, Bodie, needed two walks a day – but when I stopped the second one, everything changed for the better.” – Niki
Let’s give ourselves – and our dogs – permission to pause.
What you can do instead of a walk
Let’s rethink the routine – walks aren’t always the answer
✅ Scent games at home
✅ Training games and trick training
✅ Enrichment toys
✅ Calm confidence-building activities
✅ ‘Paws up’ games, tug toys, or garden exploring
✅ ACE Free Work or fitness games
✅ Visit a quiet private field
✅ Just chill together and bond 💛
No matter how much space you have, there’s always something you can do.
How to get involved
📅 Join in on 2nd April (or share in the lead-up)
📲 Post on your social media about the alternatives to walking your dog
📸 Share this brilliant cartoon from @ScottysCartoons that says it all!
🟡 Use the hashtag #DontWalkYourDogDay
🤝 Tag @puptalk on Facebook and @puptalk101 on Instagram/Twitter
Let’s help more people understand that walks are not the only answer – and support those who feel judged or alone when walking isn’t right for their dog.
FAQs
💬 Why wouldn’t I walk my dog?
There are loads of reasons! Fear, reactivity, over-excitement, weather extremes, injuries (yours or theirs), fireworks, recovery time, and more.
💬 Can anyone take part?
Absolutely! Even if your dog loves walks, it’s a great chance to try something new and support others.
💬 Won’t I be seen as lazy or a bad dog owner?
Nope. It’s time to break the myth that good owners have to walk their dogs daily. Mental and emotional wellbeing matters too.
💬 What if I want help reintroducing walks the right way?
Get in touch! You can email info@puptalk.co.uk or join the Pup Talk community for kind, supportive help.
Want more support?
📥 Sign up here to get involved and receive tips, updates and ideas.
Let’s help more dogs and their humans breathe a sigh of relief this #DontWalkYourDogDay 💛
MEET THE FOUNDER
Niki French
Niki French is a dog-mad, people-loving, award-winning dog trainer, author, and podcaster
She’s not only an Amazon number 1 best-selling author with STOP Walking Your Dog and the founder #dontwalkyourdogday (2nd April), but Pup Talk has been recognised as Pet Services Business of the Year 2022 in the Pet Industry Federation Awards and by Theo Paphitis in December 2022 in his Small Business Sunday initiative.
As a full-time dog trainer, Niki excels at helping dog-owners learn how to leave stress and frustration behind with simple, fun, and transformational games which help them build a stronger bond with their pups.
Working with guardians of many breeds of puppies, nervous rescues and adult dogs with ingrained behaviour problems, Niki achieves real-life results with easy training games the whole family can play.
Her mission is to give people belief, knowledge, and support by providing the tools needed to make training a fun part of daily life; for us AND our dogs!
COPYRIGHT OF Niki French Consultancy Ltd.
PHOTOGRAPHY – www.akpbrandingstories.co.uk @akpbrandingstories
