The Ultimate Autumn Dog Walking Checklist 🐾🍂
There’s something rather lovely about autumn dog walks.
Crisp mornings, golden leaves, muddy paths, cooler temperatures and that unmistakable feeling that you really ought to be outside enjoying it.
But autumn also brings a few challenges for dog walkers. One minute you're enjoying a beautiful walk through the woods, and the next you're dealing with torrential rain, a very muddy dog, fading light and a car that looks like it's been attacked by a puddle.
So, what do you actually need for autumn dog walks?
We've put together our ultimate autumn dog walking checklist, with the things we think are genuinely useful for getting out and about with your dog when the weather starts to change.
🍂 Your Autumn Dog Walking Checklist
🐕 A good harness or collar
Autumn is a great time to make sure your dog's walking gear is still doing its job.
A well-fitting harness should be comfortable, secure and allow your dog to move naturally, whether you're strolling around the park or heading off for a proper Cotswold adventure.
If your dog has grown, changed shape or you're using a puppy harness that they've outgrown, autumn is a good time for a check.
For adventurous dogs, we particularly like harnesses that give you good control without restricting movement.
Before your next walk, check:
- Does the harness still fit correctly?
- Is anything rubbing or causing discomfort?
- Are the clips and buckles working properly?
- Is the webbing in good condition?
- Does your dog have enough freedom of movement?
Unsure where to start with a new harness? Read our GUIDE HERE
🌧️ A waterproof dog coat
Autumn weather in the UK can be wonderfully unpredictable.
Your morning walk might start with blue skies and end with sideways rain.
A waterproof dog coat can be particularly useful for dogs who feel the cold, dogs with fine or short coats, older dogs, or simply dogs who don't enjoy getting completely soaked.
A lightweight waterproof such as the Ruffwear Sun Shower is ideal for keeping rain off without adding unnecessary warmth.
For dogs who need more coverage, a full-body option such as the Ruffwear Sun Shower Coverall can be worth considering.
And when temperatures really start to drop, you'll want to think about warmth as well as waterproofing.
Remember: not every dog needs a coat. Your dog's breed, coat, age, size, health, activity level and individual tolerance to cold all make a difference.
Bob wears the Sun Shower!
🧥 Something warm for colder days
Autumn isn't always wet.
Some of the nicest walks of the year are those crisp, bright, dry days when the temperature has suddenly dropped.
That's when a fleece or warm layer can be useful.
A dog fleece is particularly handy because it provides warmth without necessarily being designed to keep your dog dry.
Ruffwear fleeces are popular with our customers for exactly this reason: they're a great option for chilly but dry walks. The Climate Changer is popular for it's warmth, yet lightweight style.
If you're looking for something designed for colder and wetter conditions, an insulated coat such as the Ruffwear Powder Hound provides considerably more warmth.
A simple way to think about it:
Cool + dry: fleece or coat/harness combo
Mild + wet: waterproof coat
Cold + wet: insulated waterproof coat
Very wet: consider extra coverage such as a coverall
Bob wears the Overcoat Fuse (coat and harness in one)
🦮 A good lead
Autumn means changing conditions underfoot.
Wet leaves, muddy paths and slippery surfaces can all make walks a little different.
A lead that you're comfortable using and that suits the way you walk your dog is essential.
For everyday walks, a standard lead is usually perfect.
For adventures where you want your dog to have more freedom while remaining connected to you, a long line can be incredibly useful.
They're particularly handy for practising recall, exploring open spaces and giving dogs more freedom where off-lead walking isn't appropriate.
Just remember that long lines need to be used responsibly and aren't suitable everywhere.
We have several long lines available including the Ruffwear Rouge Long Line.
🔦 A dog light or reflective gear
This is one of those autumn purchases you don't always think about until you suddenly find yourself walking home in the dark.
The days get shorter surprisingly quickly.
A good dog light, flashing collar or reflective accessory can make your dog much easier to see when you're walking beside roads, through parks or along darker paths.
We particularly like lights that are easy to attach to a harness or collar.
And don't forget you need to be visible too.
A reflective layer, light or head torch can make a big difference on darker walks.
Our autumn rule:
If there's a chance you'll still be walking when the light fades, take a light.
It's much easier than wishing you'd brought one.
Ruffwear Beacon USB rechargable light.
🧻 A Dryrobe. Always a Dryrobe.
Honestly, just put one in the car.
A good absorbent dog dry robe is one of those wonderful products that you'll wonder how you ever lived without and will change your Autumn Winter walks.
Keep one by the front door and another in the car. Stick it on your dog before they get in the house to save your floors, walls and furniture!
Our Dog Dry Robes are made in the UK.
🚗 Protect your car
If your dog goes everywhere with you, autumn is the season when the back of your car can start to look like a small woodland.
A waterproof seat cover, boot liner or protective blanket can save an awful lot of cleaning.
It's particularly useful if you're heading out to the Cotswolds for a long walk and your dog is inevitably going to return looking significantly less clean than when you left.
Don't try to keep the dog clean. Protect everything around the dog instead.
💩 Don't forget the poo bags
You've remembered the treats, the lead, the coat, the towel...
...and then your dog finds the perfect spot and you realise you have no poo bags.
Keep a role in one of our handy carriers and you'll never find yourself short of a bag.
Ruffwear Mini Stash Bag - clip to your lead, harness or bag.
🦴 Take a few treats
Autumn is a brilliant time for training.
The cooler weather can make longer walks more enjoyable, and changing environments provide plenty of opportunities to practise good walking habits, recall and focus.
A small bag of your dog's favourite treats can be useful for:
- recall practice
- rewarding good behaviour
- keeping attention around distractions
- training on walks
- making new experiences positive
Choose treats that work for your individual dog and remember to take their daily food intake into account.
💧 Bring water
Cooler weather doesn't mean dogs don't need to drink.
If you're going on a longer walk, particularly somewhere where there isn't a safe source of drinking water, take some with you.
A collapsible travel bowl makes this particularly easy.
It's also worth remembering that puddles, streams and ponds aren't necessarily safe drinking sources, even when they look perfectly clean.
🍁 Autumn dog walk safety checklist
Autumn brings some beautiful changes to the countryside, but it also introduces a few things worth being aware of.
🍄 Be careful around fungi
Autumn is mushroom and fungi season.
There are many different varieties growing in parks, gardens and woodland, and some can be poisonous to dogs.
If your dog is prone to eating things they shouldn't, keep a particularly close eye on them during autumn walks.
If you think your dog has eaten something potentially poisonous, contact your vet promptly.
🌰 Watch what your dog picks up
Conkers, acorns and other fallen seeds and fruits can be tempting to curious dogs.
Don't assume that something is safe simply because it's natural.
If your dog is a habitual scavenger, autumn is a good time to brush up on your leave it cue.
🕷️ Keep checking for ticks
Ticks aren't just a summer problem.
Depending on conditions, they can remain active well into autumn.
After woodland, long grass and heathland walks, give your dog a quick check and make sure you're following appropriate tick prevention advice for your dog.
🌧️ Think about visibility
Darkness arrives earlier, weather can reduce visibility and roads can become slippery.
If you're walking near traffic, make sure both you and your dog are easy to see.
🐾 What should you actually take on an autumn dog walk?
If you're wondering what needs to go in your walking bag, here's our simple checklist.
The essentials:
☐ Harness or collar
☐ Lead
☐ Poo bags
☐ Treats
☐ Water
☐ Collapsible bowl
Weather-dependent:
☐ Waterproof coat
☐ Fleece or warm layer
☐ Extra towel
For darker walks:
☐ Dog light
☐ Reflective gear
☐ Head torch
For longer adventures:
☐ Long line
☐ Extra water
☐ More treats
☐ First-aid essentials (our mini first aid kits are perfect for your bag, or to keep in the car)
☐ Spare towel
☐ Car protection
🐶 The Be More Bob autumn kit
If we had to put together a simple autumn walking kit for Bob and Dolly, we'd keep it practical.
A comfortable harness for everyday adventures.
A good lead for normal walks, plus a long line when we want to give them more freedom.
A waterproof coat for those classic Cotswold days when the weather can't make its mind up.
A warm layer for crisp, cold mornings.
A dog light once the evenings start drawing in.
Plenty of treats.
And, obviously...
a towel.
Because no autumn walk is complete without coming home with considerably more mud than you left with.
🍂 Autumn is for getting outside
The arrival of autumn doesn't have to mean shorter walks and staying indoors.
In many ways, it's one of the best times of year to explore with your dog.
The crowds of summer have disappeared, the countryside starts changing colour and there are plenty of brilliant walks to discover across Cheltenham and the Cotswolds.
You just need to be prepared for whatever the British weather decides to throw at you.
So grab the harness, pack the treats, take the towel...
and go make a day of it.
Shop Be More Bob's autumn dog walking essentials
At Be More Bob, we're a small independent dog shop in Cheltenham, and we're rather obsessed with finding genuinely useful things for dogs who love getting out and about.
From Ruffwear harnesses and leads to waterproof dog coats, fleeces, lights, treats, toys and walking accessories, we've got plenty to help you and your dog make the most of autumn.
And if you're visiting Cheltenham or the Cotswolds with your dog, come and say hello.
We're always happy to help you find the right kit for your particular dog.
Be More Bob. For dogs who like to get out there.
