What I have learnt in the art of dog walking
Walking with your dog is one of the most exciting and enjoyable things you can do together. Your dog loves it and need it as much as you do. We don’t usually imagine that a simple walk can turn into a challenge, but it can be. If you have a dog that pulls constantly or lunges at people or other dogs it can become painful and dangerous to not only yourself but to others.
Over the years I have had many dogs, some that pulled like freight trains and others that were extremely polite and easy to walk. I could never work out why the pullers pulled. Each dog has taught me many lessons on the art of going for a walk.
I have been caring for and walking dogs since I was a small child. One of my earliest memories is going to the farm where they raised greyhounds and me at 3 years old, wanting to walk them and be with them. Dogs were that irresistible magnet that drew me in no matter where we were or who owned the dog.
My older teenage sister was given a puppy she named Sheba. Sheba grew into a notorious puller on the lead. She was horrible to walk. I took over the walking after a year or two. At the time we walked her on a choke chain and a very short leash as at the time it was how it was done. Looking back now I cringe internally as I know how much physical damage choke chains cause to the throat area. And just how frustrated and restricted she really was.
One of my best experiences was raising a pack of 5 working dogs while living on properties in Western Queensland. These dogs were incredibly well socialised and very rarely were trained in any way everything they did was natural for them. They were introduced to being on a lead as they were tied up of a night-time, so they didn’t wander. We were all well connected and spent 90% of our time together living and working. They were super polite and so easy to manage. When coming to the city for a visit they would happily walk on a lead with never any pulling, lunging, or acting up in anyway. Everything I did with these dogs was just a natural way of life.
Once I moved back to Brisbane and living in a small suburban yard again the walking on leash became necessary again. My dog at the time was a little cattle x corgi called Stumpy who started her life with us in the bush and then integrated to a city dog. She was never on the lead until we came back to the city. Over time she became a puller while on the lead but the minute she was off leash she was so easy to manage. I could never work out why she started to pull, I just assumed this was normal behaviour for dogs that lived in the city. I never really put it together that I could really change the behaviour of pulling.
Fast forward a 10 years and I now have big dogs, two 50kg Rottweilers. As I integrated a new pup with my older dog, each pup learnt to pull alongside the older established dog. So, the pulling was a learned behaviour and one that I was unconsciously adding to because I was enforcing the behaviour.
Mini was a puller and difficult to walk and taught Milo how to be the same. I was always looking for ways to get her to stop pulling and to make our walks more enjoyable. I tried the choke chain, the halti and numerous other ways to try to stop the pulling from Mini but it left both of us incredibly frustrated and unhappy.
Finally, I went and got some instruction on how to walk on a long lead and a harness. That weekend changed everything about how I approach my dogs the way they behave and how to refine the walk. It was the best thing I ever did for myself and my dogs. It literally opened my world up and helped me begin to understand my dogs on a whole other level.
I was introduced to the concept of letting my dogs slow down and sniff while they are walking on a long lead. They could go where they wanted to safely and just relax into knowing you were still with them. Shock horror how did I not understand this concept previously, I had dogs that were like this when I lived in the bush. I felt terribly guilty for a really long time but after a while I decided to let the guilt go and do better now that I knew better.
In letting my dog’s slow down and sniff it allowed me as the person at the end of the lead to slow down within myself and stop expecting a particular outcome and create a connection in which the right outcome just happens. This concept for me was so powerful.
Over the years I have really worked at how I walk with my dogs and what I expect from myself and from my dogs when walking. I stopped walking for exercise and started walking to give my dogs stimulation and enjoyment. Because you are taking the time to slow while walking with your dog you have time to take in your surroundings, you are connecting to nature, and you are watching your dog and the environment you are in and connecting on a level that the dog really craves.
Sniffing provides mental stimulation and allows dogs to make sense of what is going on in the world around them. A slow sniffing walk for 30 minutes can tire your dog out way more than a 30-minute run or play chasing a ball which wears them out physically and puts huge amount of strain and stress on the joints and body and mind. The sniffing walk allows the body and the mind to relax this in turn allows the cortisol levels to lower and lets the dog remain calmer and less likely to behave badly or to stay in an anxious state.
Allowing yourself and your dog to stop, sit and rest while walking is another amazing time to be with each other and connect. It allows time to rest and just take in life. Something we very rarely do today as life always seems like its on the go at 100 miles per hour.
Right now, I walk two 50kg Rottweiler on shorter 2metre leads (I have not mastered the art of walking two big dogs on long leads that like to crisscross all over the place to sniff especially when on narrow footpaths). Milo is still a puller and a super hypervigilant fast walker when walked on her own. It is not a pleasant walk for either of us. But when walking with Monty her partner she has learnt that Monty is way more interested in sniffing which causes her to slow down and if she slows down she has time to sniff and calm. Milo has relaxed into this way of walking now and it has become enjoyable for us all.
Monty is the first puppy we have had that has grown up with harnesses and long leads and a different point of view in how to treat him generally. He is a mellow boy on the lead and his whole world is about a sniffing walk. The difference with Monty compared to my other previous dogs is so huge. He doesn’t have a perfect life or perfect manner all the time but he is an absolute pleasure to walk and be around. And instead of Monty learning Milo’s bad walking habits Monty has taught Milo how to slow down and smell the roses.
90% of the time the 2metre leads are loose and both dogs have their heads down sniffing. I have adapted to walking on footpaths when other dogs are coming at us. It is much safer for me as a small, framed person holding two large dogs, to move over into a clear driveway and ask my guys to wait while the other dogs pass us. (Not all dog walkers are polite or understand that not all dogs are friendly). Our walks are incredibly enjoyable for both the dogs and myself.
NOTE: if your dog is leash reactive please seek help from a qualified trainer. There is so much information and help out there for you.
Here are some tips I have learnt over the years for walking your dogs.
1. Be aware of your surroundings, get off the phone, take the headphones off and really connect with your dog. They know when you are not present with them.
2. Invest in a long lead (long leads are great for when walking one dog) and a good fitting harness that doesn’t restrict the shoulders.
3. Do not use retractable leashes (these types of leads can cause serious damage to both dogs and to people when things go wrong)
4. Allow your dog to sniff. This is probably one of the most important aspects of walking with your dog. Slow the walk down and give your dog some respect, let them sniff and pee and poop it is what they do. They are dogs not people.
5. If your dog pulls, learn how to walk on a long lead. Take the time to spend quality time training your dog to move with you rather than pulling constantly.
6. Find an area where you can walk and practice on the long lead that gives you and your dog room away from other dogs and stimulation that could make things harder in the beginning.
7. When walking out in public and you are coming towards another dog on the footpath curve around them never walk directly into their space. The curve gives both dogs room to still keep their own space and is much less threatening for both parties. When well socialised dogs meet off lead they will always curve around before meeting. This is a natural behaviour for them.
8. Don’t allow people to into your dog’s space for pats. Even when your dog is super friendly they can easily become uncomfortable when people want to touch them.
9. Watch your dog for signals. Your dog will often see and smell things way before you do. Some signals can be very subtle so it’s a good idea to understand your dog’s signals. This can be a change in their stance or gait, the flick of the ears, licking the lips, tail up or down, fur raising on the back and neck. Being aware of your dogs’ signals allows you to course correct if you need to rather than putting your dog into a situation that is uncomfortable.
10. Get informed about the topic and how to work with your dog. Turid Rugaas an international dog trainer has some great books and videos on what to do when your dog pulls and many others. There are also other great trainers out there if you look.
11. Understand that it is a work in progress. Nothing is ever perfect. The aim is to be connected with your dog and have an enjoyable time together.
