Get your dog to walk nicely on leash with ZERO effort!

 

HAHAHA - just kidding!

 
 

Training always takes effort; it just doesn't HAVE to be painful.

 
 

I see you:

 
 🐾 with your dog zigzagging across the sidewalk in front of you, performing their very best pinball impersonation.

  

🐾 your pup dragging you down the street because they see a SUPER interesting stop sign up ahead.

 
 

🐾 your frustration and impatience at your dog's complete lack of desire to leave your current location before they have sufficiently sniffed every blade of grass, and made sure that every Pmail has been checked, and responded to.

 
 

🐾 your utter dread for going on walks with your pup because people will witness the shit show.

 
 

What if there were an easier way?

How massively would that change things for you and your pup?

 
 

 
 

Here are two SUPER easy things that you can implement TODAY, to work towards more enjoyable walks for YOU and your pup:

 
 

1) Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice. Practice.

 

I know you are rolling your eyes so hard at me right now, but hear me out…

 

If going on walks with your dog are not enjoyable for YOU, the less likely it is that the walks will happen.

 

Humans typically make choices around what THEY want, what THEY need, what’s best for THEM.

 

As such – the behavior that limits the walks your pup gets, will NOT get any better!

 

Nancy Tucker, (a phenomenal trainer to whom I look up to), likens your dog’s excitement and level of self-regulation over walks, to us humans the very first time we experienced a buffet.

 

*We were overwhelmed, (albeit in a positive way).

 

*We sought to maximize our efforts/activities so we did not leave an iota of fun behind.

 

*We would often eat until we felt sick.

 

*Although deep in our brains, we KNEW that they would not run out of our favorite foods, we acted as if they would.

 

*However, the more times we visited a buffet, the less obnoxious we would be about trying to not miss out on anything.

    - We were in better control of ourselves. We understood that there COULD always be another chance to experience this. We could more appropriately control our urges.

 

↑↑↑↑ Through our continued exposure/experience with the buffet, we were then able to alter our behavior accordingly.

 

Doesn’t that help understand your dog’s behavior a little better?

 

So – the more you get your dog out for walks, the more you allow them to experience the thing that they are SO excited about, the more likely they are to self-regulate their behavior.

 

2) Teach your dog to “Check in”.

Pretty much all of the undesirable behaviors that dogs exhibit whilst on walks, can be boiled down to, they give their attention to ANYTHING but you!

 

If your pup has their attention & focus on YOU, they are far less apt to get lost in the focus funnel of something else.

 

“Checking in” is simply connection through eye contact, WITHOUT being prompted. In other words, they give YOU their attention.

 

*Start working on this, IN THE HOUSE!

 

*Mark and reward ANY spontaneous attention your dog gives you.

 

-Don’t JUST limit this to time spent training. 

-Do this all throughout the course of your normal day-to-day activities.

     --ANY time your dog gives you unsolicited eye contact, MARK & REWARD!

     --This makes it abundantly clear to your dog that paying attention to YOU, brings great things.

 

*Slowly add in layers of difficulty, or additional distractions.

 

     --Put on their harness/leash (stay indoors). This can be super exciting for a lot of dogs. Just stand still and wait for them to make eye contact with you. MARK & REWARD.

 

     --Take it outside, just outside the home – not off property. Ideally the environment will be low-key, with few distractions. Stand still and wait for them to make eye contact with you. MARK & REWARD.

 

     --Take it outside, but where there are more distractions. Stand still and wait for them to make eye contact with you. MARK & REWARD.

 

*Take it on the road.

 

          -The first few times out, you may need to make a sound, or call your dog’s name to get their attention. That is OK. As soon as they make eye contact with you, MARK & REWARD.

 

          -During your outing, intermittently get your dog’s attention, and when eye contact is made, MARK & REWARD.

 

          -Continue to do this until your dog begins to check in with you automatically. MARK & REWARD.

 

*Practice checking in whenever walking in new environments, or under new conditions. For example – first time at the beach, first time in the woods, etc.




PRO TIPS: 

1)    go JUST outside the door or gate you use to leave your property, and practice this over and over. Doing so will help decrease bolting behavior (done out of excitement).

2)    During all of these exercises, deliver the treat close to your body.

3)    Whenever possible, give your dog choices; when to sniff & for how long, what direction to go, the pace, etc. After all, who is the walk REALLY for, you or your dog?




If you need help implementing any of this - REACH OUT!

We can book a consultation and go from there.




Don't you AND your pup deserve to enjoy walking together?