“When there are dogs and music, people have a good time.”
– Emmylou Harris
Yes, ma’am! There is nothing better than listening to your favourite tune in an otherwise quiet forest with your dog. It can be difficult to get out of our heads and just simply enjoy the walk.
I notice it in myself quite a bit. There are mornings when I feel fantastic and the rest of the day follows suite. What about the other days? When I’m simply in a bad mood and stomp along the dirt path with steam shooting out of my ears? Any time that happens, I will be more aware of what my dogs are doing that annoys me.
It’s something I observe in myself as well in others. When you are simply walking with your dog, you are paying attention to your dog. Maybe a little bit too much attention.
That’s why I make it a habit to listen to music on my walks. I talk less to my dogs and leave them be. The result? They listen better! Why? Because I’m not nagging them like I might when I am simply walking. Saying less can mean more. How very zen of me!
I still correct them and call them when they are doing something unwanted, but the music puts me in a good mood. That’s what makes the difference. Instead of thinking about work and politics I am wiggling my shoulders along to my favourite songs. Energy like that is contagious! My dogs wag along and feed off my good energy. The result is an amazing walk where I am completely refreshed when I get back.
Dogs are always in the moment and thinking about the smells they are smelling, sights they’re seeing and maybe pondering about what we are thinking about… but for us humans it can be surprisingly difficult to be in the present. Music is a great way to distract our minds and get us to a kind of happy, meditative state.
Do you like listening to music on walks? Why or why not? I would love to hear about it in the comments!