ABSTRACT
Dog walking is one of the most popular leisure activities worldwide (Banks and Bryant 2007; Brown and Rhodes 2006; Christian et al. 2012, 2013; Reeves et al. 2011). Guided by the current literature on dog walking, this chapter critically examines opportunities and challenges of dog walking as a leisure activity. Besides the health benefits of dog walking (Hoerster et al. 2011; Utz 2014), the chapter addresses intrapersonal, social and environmental factors that contextualize dog walking. Examples for such exploration include the effects of sociodemographic factors and urban design (e.g. street pattern, proximity to a park area including access to an off-leash park; McCormack et al. 2011), a sense of attachment to dogs as companions, and social support of dog walkers (Netting et al. 2013). Attention is given to the dog–owner relationship (e.g. practice of caring), the dog’s positive effects on an owner’s cognitive beliefs about and motivation towards walking (Degeling and Rock 2012; Westgarth et al. 2014), and the provision of dog-supportive physical environment for dog walking (Christian et al. 2010). In addition, dog walking as a leisure activity can provide opportunities to promote meaning-making as another benefit of this potentially meaningful leisure engagement (Greenebaum 2010; Swall et al. 2015), as humans naturally seek the pursuit of a meaningful, enriching life (Baumeister and Vohs 2002; Frankl 1985; Hicks and Routledge 2013). Finally, the chapter highlights research-informed knowledge that has practical implications for tourism and recreation managers and professionals. Overall, this chapter addresses: (a) dog walking as a leisure-time physical activity; (b) social and ecological perspectives of dog walking; (c) dog walking as a leisure activity to promote meaning-making; and (d) practical implications of dog walking as a leisure/recreation activity.
