App
Start claiming territory in your neighbourhood
Begin with the streets you already walk. Colour them in, close a few blocks, then expand one street at a time.
Walking an older dog without overdoing it
Getting older does not mean house arrest. It means editing the walk.
Signs to respect
Stiffness at the start that does not ease, reluctance on stairs, lagging on a route they used to fly. Book the vet if that is new.
Soften the route
Grass and dirt over endless pavement. Shorter loops with an easy abort back home. Warm-up minutes at the start before any brisk pace.
Mental work counts
A ten-minute sniffari can tire a senior dog more kindly than a forced 50-minute circuit.
On Patch
Track the walks if you like. Ignore the leaderboard if racing twenty-somethings with collies looks miserable. Territory does not expire on a timer, so a gentle week does not punish you.
Try it on your next walk
Download Patch free on iOS or Android. Tap once when you leave, walk as normal, and see what ground your dog claims.