BAD FRIEDRICHSHALL, Germany — On a quiet stretch of pavement north of Stuttgart, dog trainer Barbara Gerlinger runs a class with empty leashes in hand and patients whose partners do not exist. The pastime, which Gerlinger organizes, asks participants to pretend they are walking and training dogs that are entirely imagined — giving commands, stopping to allow a sniff and praising good behaviour as though an animal were at the other end of the lead. Coverage from Bbc has highlighted this story.

Gerlinger, 65, offers the activity as organised courses rather than informal solo walks. The sessions mirror the routines of conventional dog training: participants first speak their imagined pet’s name aloud, then proceed through short sequences that include walking in formation, stopping as if the dog is sniffing, navigating simple obstacles and delivering rewards or praise. Organisers supply props to make the exercises feel more like conventional training and to help structure the movements, turning what could be a solitary exercise in the imagination into a group-based leisure course.

“It’s a little crazy,” Gerlinger said in an interview, adding with a shrug, “But what isn’t crazy? We live in a crazy world.” She frames the pastime as both playful and intentional. The combination of physical movement and sustained attention, she said, can be unexpectedly demanding: “It’s quite exhausting to concentrate for 20 minutes on something that isn’t there,” she told Deutsche Welle in a profile of her work. Reporting by Psychologytoday offers additional detail on this case.

At one class, 61-year-old Anette Hilkert moved through the routine with the practiced gestures of someone who knows the vocabulary of commands. She addressed an imaginary dog called Chantal — described during the session as a Boxer — and praised the unseen animal at the end of her leash: “Good girl, my princess,” she said. Participants repeatedly use such direct address and verbal reinforcement as a central part of the exercise.

Hobby dogging sessions are deliberately structured. Instructors guide attendees through short sequences designed to simulate the responsibilities and rituals of dog ownership without any of the long-term commitments. The formal setting — scheduled classes with a trainer and peers — distinguishes these meetings from solitary walks in which an individual might talk to an imagined companion without external organisation. Advocates describe the activity as a way to practise routine, presence and attention while sidestepping the practical duties of caring for a real animal.

Not every person who takes part comes without an actual pet. In one account, a real dog called Mottchen waited in the boot of a car while its owner joined the class, underlining that hobby dogging can coexist with real pet ownership. Some participants, organisers say, enjoy the social structure of the classes or the focused movement sequences, whether they have a live dog at home or are simply attracted to the imaginative exercise. As covered by Healthmagazine, readers can explore more context around the event.

Gerlinger’s courses have drawn attention beyond the town. Deutsche Welle has profiled her work in Bad Friedrichshall, highlighting hobby dogging as an organised form of imaginative leisure that treats the absent animal as the object of sustained attention and action. Classes typically last for short intervals during which concentrated focus is emphasised; participants report that even brief exercises can leave them physically aware and mentally engaged in ways they did not expect.

Attendees and organisers present the activity without heavy ceremony: it is a practical rehearsal of habits familiar to dog owners, repurposed as a structured leisure pursuit. Whether used as play, practice or a way to be present in a small communal setting, hobby dogging in Bad Friedrichshall offers an uncommon twist on both exercise and imagination.

The piece was updated on December 1, 2025, at 6:13 pm.

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