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Enrichment & Adventure Walks
Enrichment & Adventure Walks in Andover & Hampshire
At Running Paws & Fun Retreats, our Enrichment & Adventure Walks are more than just a walk — they're a complete experience for your dog.
These walks offer dogs the chance to explore, sniff, learn, and thrive in natural environments across Andover and Hampshire. Your dog doesn't just come home tired — they come home fulfilled, having engaged their brain as well as their body in carefully selected outdoor locations.
Book Adventure Walk
Why Choose Our Enrichment & Adventure Walks?
Dogs experience the world through their senses, especially their nose. Mental stimulation is incredibly important and often more tiring than physical exercise alone. Many owners notice their dogs return home calmer, more settled, and content after our enrichment walks.
When a dog's enrichment needs are met, you'll often see improvements at home. A fulfilled dog is a happier, more balanced dog, with reduced excess energy, destructive behaviours, over-excitement on lead, and attention-seeking habits.
Mental Stimulation Dogs engage their brain through sniffing freely, problem-solving, and exploring. Mental stimulation truly tires your dog, often more effectively than physical exercise alone.
Natural Environments Adventure walks take place in woodlands, fields, countryside paths, and varied terrain. These changing environments provide new sights, smells, and textures, keeping walks exciting.
Small Group Handling We keep group sizes small and manageable with up to 6 dogs per walk, ensuring individual attention, safe positive social interactions, and a calm, enjoyable experience.
What Can Your Dog Expect From Our Enrichment Walks?
Every enrichment walk is designed with your dog's wellbeing in mind, allowing them to move naturally, engage their instincts safely, and enjoy freedom within structured boundaries.
Sniff & Explore
Dogs are encouraged to sniff freely and naturally, engaging their most powerful sense and experiencing the world the way nature intended them to.
Varied Locations
Walks take place in carefully selected woodlands, fields, countryside paths, and natural spaces, providing new experiences and preventing the boredom of repetitive routes.
Problem Solving
Natural terrain offers opportunities for dogs to navigate uneven ground, climb, balance, and make decisions, working both their bodies and minds simultaneously.
Confidence Building
Exploring new spaces helps dogs build confidence, improve adaptability, and develop resilience in unfamiliar situations in a controlled, supportive environment.
Natural Movement
Dogs move, climb, balance, and explore uneven terrain, which works their bodies in a more natural and fulfilling way than standard pavement walking.
Individual Attention
Despite being in a small group, each dog receives personal attention from our experienced team, with walks paced to suit the group's needs.
Safe Freedom
Dogs may be off-lead where safe and appropriate, or walked on long lines to allow freedom while maintaining control, depending on location and your consent.
Calm & Settled
Walks are never rushed or chaotic, with time allowed for sniffing, exploring, and rest. Dogs return home calmer, more settled, and genuinely content.
Frequently Asked Questions
An enrichment & adventure walk is a purpose-led walk that focuses on your dog's mental stimulation, confidence and wellbeing, not just physical exercise. Dogs are encouraged to sniff, explore and engage with their environment in safe, natural spaces.
Unlike a standard walk, enrichment walks are slower paced, longer in duration, more exploratory and take place in varied environments such as woodland and countryside areas. The emphasis is on quality of experience rather than distance covered.
Yes — but in a more natural and fulfilling way. Dogs move, climb, balance and explore uneven terrain, which works their bodies while also engaging their minds.
Enrichment & adventure walks are suitable for puppies and adolescent dogs, active dogs who need more mental stimulation, dogs who enjoy exploring and sniffing, and dogs who benefit from confidence-building experiences. If your dog has specific needs, we're always happy to discuss suitability before booking.
This depends on your dog, the location and consent. Dogs may be off-lead where safe and appropriate, or walked on long lines to allow freedom while maintaining control.
Group sizes are kept small and manageable with up to 6 dogs per adventure walk to ensure individual attention, calm interactions and a positive experience for every dog.
Absolutely. Safety is our top priority. We carefully select locations, assess group compatibility, and manage walks calmly and responsibly at all times.
This depends on your dog's needs. Some dogs benefit from one enrichment walk per week alongside regular walks, while others thrive attending more frequently. We're happy to advise on what would work best for your dog.
Standard Walk vs
Enrichment & Adventure Walk
- Standard
Dog Walk- Focuses mainly on physical exercise
- Often follows the same route
- Usually faster paced
- Limited sniffing time
- Repetitive for some dogs
- Can leave dogs physically tired but mentally bored
- Distance-based
- Good for routine exercise
- Enrichment
& Adventure Walk- Focuses on physical and mental stimulation
- Takes place in varied natural environments
- Slower, thoughtful pace
- Sniffing encouraged and prioritised
- New experiences each walk
- Dogs return calm, settled and fulfilled
- Experience-based
- Ideal for wellbeing, confidence and behaviour
