Summer Fun for You and Your Pup: Make Your Walks a Treat!

You and your dog might enjoy a change of pace after being cooped during the pandemic.

Do you and your dog need a little fresh air this summer after being cooped up inside all winter?  Here’s how to turn that walk into an event that you’ll both look forward to.

Pick the right place 

Depending on where you live, your dog may not love what’s right outside your door.  Maybe you live on a busy street and your dog prefers a quieter spot. Perhaps there are off-leash dogs in the area he’d rather avoid. Maybe your dog is reactive and feels overwhelmed by close encounters even with leashed dogs.  Loading your dog into the car and driving to a more appropriate location can make your walks much more enjoyable and get you guys exploring new places.

Choose the proper equipment

For any walk, you’ll need a way to securely attach a leash to your dog for their safety. A properly fitted harness works well for most dogs. If your dog tends to pull on the leash, look for a front-clipping harness that minimizes pulling.  Avoid equipment that inflicts pain or fear, such as shock collars. If you’re not comfortable walking your dog, reach out to a positive reinforcement-based dog trainer to learn how to teach your dog to walk with you.

Reward frequent check-ins and loose leash walking

Feed your dog small pieces of high value food intermittently throughout the walk.  You don’t need to focus on rewarding specific behaviors, just be a generous snack giver.  Once your dog learns that you have snacks and are ready to dole them out, he’ll want to stick near you and will check in with you frequently. 

When your dog is not pulling on the leash, allow him access to interesting opportunities around you.  Maybe your dog loves to pee on the bushes at the corner of the block, greet the neighbor, smell the roses, etc.  If he wants access to something and it’s appropriate to allow it, you can use that as a reward for loose leash behavior.  When your dog is walking with a loose leash, pull over and allow him time to pee, sniff, or say hello when it makes sense to do so.

Encourage your dog to stop and sniff frequently 

The purpose of a walk is for your dog to decompress and get some fresh air and movement. Sniffing is very important for a dog and should be encouraged and celebrated on your walks.  If your dog doesn’t sniff much, encourage it by stopping near a patch of grass and tossing a handful of food treats onto the lawn for your dog to sniff out.  Sniffing functions to decrease your dog’s heart rate and is calming so you can’t overdo it.

Practice good social skills 

Having good social skills does not mean meeting every person and dog that comes within your reach. Can you imagine running through the grocery store and high fiving and hugging everyone who came within 10 feet of you? Of course not, and your dog shouldn’t exuberantly greet everyone he meets either. 

Dogs have different levels of interest in socializing so take your individual dog’s personality and needs into account. If you’re finding certain social interactions challenging, a skilled trainer can help you improve your dog’s social skills.

Teach your dog to move quickly with you when you ask 

Moving quickly is an important behavior to teach your dog so you can keep them safe.  If a situation arises that is beyond your dog’s ability to handle or is unsafe in some way, it’s crucial  that your dog knows to follow you quickly to get away and prevent a problem.  

Teach a “move with” cue by calling your dog (“Pepper, hurry!”), then running to the other end of the house, and feeding him treats for chasing you.  Once your dog understands the “move with” cue indoors, you can begin to practice outside on leashed walks, paying him generously with his favorite treats, of course. 

LIven up your walks with games

Games like “paws up” (put your two paws up on this object for a food reward) or “chin rest” (rest your chin on this object for a food reward) are fun and easy training games that build environmental confidence, improve training interactions, and teach your dog that novelty is fun.  Hand targeting is also a fun behavior that helps keep a dog engaged and moving forward with you on a relaxed leash.

Recognize your dog’s signs of stress  

Signs of stress may include a reluctance to move forward or stopping all together; eating things off the ground; refusing to go in a certain direction; zig-zag walking and/or intense pulling as you are approaching home or in other situations; loss of appetite; sniffing for prolonged periods of time; barking, growling, lunging, or biting; tugging at the leash; jumping up on the handler; avoiding the harness and leash when it’s time to go out; getting the zoomies; or having diarrhea midwalk.  Try to identify what triggers your dog’s stress in the first place and consider working with a positive reinforcement-based trainer to address the root cause of your dog’s stress if it persists.

Longer is not always better

Your dog’s own individual physical and mental needs should dictate the length and intensity of your walks.  Some dogs need long walks with lots of games and activities while others may prefer to stay home and avoid walks all together.  Not all dogs benefit from leashed walks and it’s perfectly fine to replace walks with other options that better suit your individual dog.  

Make coming home fun

Some dogs don’t want walks to end and returning home can feel like a punishment. If that’s the case, try to transition from one fun activity to another instead of just ending the walk abruptly.  Perhaps you have a peanut butter stuffed Kong waiting in the freezer. If your walk ends with a tasty at-home snack, you’ll have a dog who is happy to return home after every outing.

I hope these tips help you and your pup enjoy a fun, safe summer in the great outdoors together. Now get out there and get walking!