Robynn Harris, CCFT, The Wandering Shepherd

Beautiful and gentle Nova is going to be in Developing Your Therapy Dog Team class next month! 💜

I still have two open spots! Let me know if you’re interested in joining Nova in class.

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Why slow walks matter more than fast ones

A slow walk isn't being lazy or boring for dogs — it's the biologically appropriate pace for a dog's nervous system, and it does more for welfare than most of us realise.

▪️Regulation: Enrichment research shows dogs allowed to explore at their own pace show fewer stress behaviours and more relaxation behaviours. A slow walk works as moving enrichment — sensory input stays low enough for the nervous system to downshift instead of escalate (Hunt et al., 2022).

▪️Exploration: Sniffing, pausing, and investigating aren't optional extras — they're core behavioural needs. Dogs engage most deeply in exploratory behaviour when there's no pressure to keep moving (Redmond et al., 2025).

▪️Sniffing specifically: Olfactory engagement shifts dogs toward a calmer, parasympathetic state — lower heart rate, better decompression, more resilience (Redmond et al., 2025).

▪️Visual processing: Dogs' vision prioritises motion detection over object recognition, with lower static visual acuity than humans. Fast-paced environments can overload that system before the dog has even processed what they are looking at (Byosiere et al., 2018; Coile & O'Keefe, 1988; Miller & Murphy, 1995).

▪️Bond: Slow, cooperative, sensory-led walks are linked to increased oxytocin and lower stress markers for both ends of the lead — the dog experiences the guardian as predictable and safe (Akiyama & Ohta, 2021).

Fast walking exercises the body.

Slow walking exercises the brain and nervous system — and that's where real behaviour change starts.

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When our dogs are ready for contact, the way we interact can help continue to build trust. Where we place our hand can be powerful;

🐾 Staying in their visual
🐾Using one hand
🐾 Avoid over the head
🐾 Aim for chest or side
🐾 Back of the hand for worried dogs
🐾Mindful of the speed and pressure

Know anyone that needs to understand this message? Please share it with them!

Let’s keep dogs and babies safe by setting them up for success. It’s the least we can do for the smallest family members who rely upon us for everything. 💜

~RH

A note to birth doulas, OB/GYNs, midwives, and other birthing professionals. I have an important request. So many of the families I work with tell me their doctor, midwife, or doula advised them to just bring home the baby blanket so the dog would accept the baby.

Please stop giving this advice. Please.

It does nothing to prepare dogs for the sweeping household changes that come with a new baby, and it can actually put families at risk, making them think it's just this easy to introduce dog and baby.

As a dog behavior professional, I specialize in safe and thoughtful introductions between dogs and babies. This is my daily work, and I want to be a resource for you and your clients. I am happy to send you postcards about my Bringing Home Baby course that you can hand out during your appointments, or you can direct families straight to the course page: www.rescuedbytraining.com/mp-register/bringing-home-baby

I also have a ton of posts and a library of free resources on my website, and I would love for your clients to use them.

Let's work together to give families the preparation they truly need for a safe, smooth transition.

Please, and thank you.