Of course, that’s not the only reason why walking the dog can be difficult — you or your pet may have health issues, your dog may have had a frightening experience on a walk and need a break, or he may benefit from a day off to recharge his batteries.
In our lead feature this month (page 10) Julie Hill explains that you don’t need to beat yourself up about it if you decide to take the odd day off — the key is to come up with alternatives that will engage your dog’s brain and give him a mental workout.
Julie talks to five experts to get their views on how to entertain and engage with your dog on a non-walking day. 
For those of you who love nothing better than getting away from it all and enjoying some peace and tranquillity, check out our feature ‘Rural retreats’ on page 14. This month we’re focusing on dog-friendly accommodation that provides the perfect hideaway — ideal if you’ve got a noise-phobic dog and are looking to 
avoid the auditory and visual assault of fireworks at this time of year.
What do you do when you meet a dog for the first time? Read Toni Shelbourne’s article on page 16 this issue and you may be surprised! Toni explains how to build trust, and respect the dog’s choices about how they interact and with whom.
Supporting your vet couldn’t be more important at the moment. After the stresses and strains of the coronavirus pandemic, many vets have left the profession and others are suffering burn out, while only recently the BVA launched a #respectyourvetteam campaign to tackle the problem of in-person and online abuse.
It’s all too easy to forget what an ally a vet can be when it comes to supporting you and your dog. Julie Hill advises on how we can all show our appreciation and help make their working lives easier on page 42.