The Uncontrollables – Walk the Dog & Save Yourself!

The bottom line is your dog needs dog walks no matter what. It’s part of his daily essentials and he relies on you, his loving and caring owner, to make sure he’s physically and mentally balanced. Your dog may not have proper walking etiquette or he might be so unpleasant you’ve cut back drastically on taking him outside. Whatever your reasons, these simple dog walking tips will help you and your dog get out the door in no time.

Dog Walking is your Dog’s Fundamental Birthright. He absolutely loves it and needs lots of it every day. Walking or migrating is your dog’s ultimate purpose in life. It’s his way of figuring out how the world around him works. Walking outside strengthens his natural predator instincts and skills. It also keeps his body and mind in top shape. Walking is the #1 activity that allows your dog to do his innate “doggy-things”. He also gets to carry out one of his much-loved activities, maintaining his social network and checking up on “Pee-Mail”. You know, like: “What’s the word on the streets?” “Who’s hanging around with whom?” “Are any of my furry peeps sick?” and “Who’s the new kid in town?” that sort of thing.

“When I go out, I just have to see,
If another dog has been at my tree,
I sniff it up and I sniff it down,
Gotta get a read on the dogs around”
- Author unknown

I promise that when you walk the dog, the experience will be pleasant and stress-free with these quick easy tips. You’ll also recharge your dog’s inner spirit and keep him ultimately happy and fulfilled.

Dog walking everyday will instantly eliminate roughly 80% of common dog behavior problems (such as barking and jumping) with an added bonus of general calm and happiness in your home.

The Uncontrollable Walking Dog

I can’t stress enough the importance of walking your dog. It’s an amazing energy burner for both you and your pet. But I completely understand that it can sometimes be a little tricky and oftentimes, totally embarrassing if your dog doesn’t have proper dog walking manners. The dogs in the following group are not the greatest walking companions:

Barking Buffoons

Barking Buffoons bark at passing cars, noisy kids, people on bikes and large garbage cans. They intimidate shrubs and trees, scary birds, cats and (of course) crying babies, older people and neighborhood dogs. Barking Buffoons might also bark at the wind, leaves, an empty water bottle rolling down the street, a gum wrapper in the way, more unknown dogs, strangers and let’s not forget, big frightening buses and dangerous butterflies.

The list is pretty much endless because each Barking Buffoon has his own bad habits. A good dog walk several times a week will immediately curb your dog’s energy and you’ll progressively notice the disappearance of his incessant bark. I will get to all that in just a bit.

OPP – Obnoxious Persistent Pullers

The Obnoxious Persistent Puller (the OPP) will stop at nothing to get the next step in. This type of dog will not mind you one bit. Even when he’s about to rip the arm off your shoulder, this guy doesn’t seem to care much about anything other than what’s going on in front of him. The pulling is tolerable if your bud is a cute cuddly 15-pounder. But if you’ve got a large Shepherd or a strong German Pointer, it can the OPP can be downright dangerous, especially if you’re a 120-pound female. Unfortunately, dog walking is almost impossible with an OPP.

I personally know a couple of OPPs in our neighborhood and we (rarely) observe them during our walks with Halle. I say rarely because the owners just cannot manage. Imagine that an uncontrollable baby elephant is constantly pulling you around. It’s not so cool. If you’re living with an OPP in need of training, I sympathize with you.

“You down with OPP? Yeah You know me!” } Halle

Bouncing Circus Dogs

Let’s not forget the Bouncing Circus dogs. This group is very light on their feet, ready to entertain at every corner of the street. Don’t bother approaching this dog unless you want a tête-à-tête greeting from a big boy. Again, not very pleasant if the weather is a bit mushy and muddy. You can say bye-bye to that nice clean outfit of yours. Jumping up on people at will is not very polite. I don’t care if your dog is a jumping puppy or a Weim; a dog bouncing up on you is not nice, period.

For the Barking Buffoons, the OPPs and the Bouncing Circus dogs, dog walking is not enjoyable, so their owners just don’t do it or keep walks to a minimal. I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t like it either.

There’s nothing more pleasant and lovely than walking a well-mannered dog. Everybody is happy. The dog gets to migrate and take care of his doggy-business and the owner gets to unwind and enjoy the present moment. It’s a beautiful peaceful thing.

Don’t despair if your dog happens to fall into one of the groups above. I promise you’ll have some super fun dog walks in your near future if you follow some of my simple dog walking tips.

First here are 3 extremely easy tips that will help you and your dog roam the neighborhood with a little more ease and a lot more confidence. Your number one goal here is giving your dog the important intellectual and physical exercise that he so desperately requires. Even when your dog is pulling you down the street, jumping on everyone or barking at everything in sight, your puppy needs his walk – pronto. He needs his exercise because it calms him down. He also needs some good dog training, which will do wonders FOR his overall behavior and wellness.

Once you’ve got your dog walking again, I highly recommend you check out our Dog Training section on HBD and get your pooch started with some clicker dog training. Including some quick training sessions (intellectual stimulation) throughout the week will serve your dog very well.

Three Simple Dog Walking Tips for the Uncontrollables:

1. Keep your focus on the walk. I want you to calmly gear up, clip the lead on your dog and open your door and just walk. Your ultimate goal is to take a 20-minute walk with your little troublemaker (no matter what happens) and come back home. Make it a mission. Ignore all the distractions, people, cars, birds and other pups and just resolutely walk your dog. Make sure he does his potty and then focus on what’s before you and walk. Your dog will try to cause his regular chaos but I want you to completely ignore him and focus on your goal. He will very quickly recognize that he has to keep up with your pace. It will be extra hard at first but your dog needs his walk and you have to do it.

If you’re dealing with an insecure barker or jittery boo, the key is for you to be extra confident. This means shoulders up and proud demeanor. Your dog will feel your energy and will learn to relax with time. Slowly build up the time you spend walking to a good hour or two per day.

2. Low-key dog walks. Another great tip is to walk your dog at certain times of the day when you can limit most if not all the distractions that make him lose his mind. Wake up a few minutes earlier in the morning when the streets are deserted. Or take your pup out later in the evening when all the house lights go out. Take advantage of those great quiet opportunities to enjoy a peaceful walk with your dog.

Also, try alternate locations, where there may be limited distractions, and go for a dog walk. Here are just a few that come to mind: any empty parking lot, an industrial area after hours, most rural areas, secluded waterfronts. As well, large parks may have a few isolated areas that are great and will allow you to get your dog walk in. Take some time to scout your neighborhood for nice quiet spots, even if that means taking some time and driving there. I promise your dog will be forever grateful and you’ll experience greater peace in your house. It’s all worth it.

3. Create simple distractions with treats, games and some quick power training sessions. During your walk, take a few breaks and practice some simple training commands like a series of sits or stays-and-downs then offer your dog his favorite treats. Bust a 30-second game of tug to burn some of your dog’s extra energy. This also works really well to redirect dogs that need a little more confidence or focus.

Remember to concentrate on your ultimate goal, the dog walk. It’s so easy to get distracted. You might notice a puppy on the other side of the street and you might start to panic because you know that at any minute, your dog is going to lose it and make you look like a complete fool. You must move forward and ignore everything around you. Change the side of the street and complete your mission because your buddy needs to get his walk on. Your dog truly depends on you. Don’t deprive him of this great natural pleasure just because he sometimes acts like a monkey.

Like I said earlier, once you’re done with walking your dog add some fun and easy dog training sessions to your week. Watch how quickly your dog will transform from an Uncontrollable to a very well mannered walking companion.

Look out for my second post on dog walking. Next, we’re going to help you build your confidence and willpower so you can hit the pavement with your dog in no time. If you’re having difficulty committing to walking your dog then make sure you check out my next article titled: “Don’t Over Think the Dog Walk, Just Do It”.

I really want to know if you happen to live with one of the Uncontrollables? What makes you cringe and what do you absolutely hate about walking your dog? Do you have any special tips and techniques that help you get that dog walk in? How bad does your dog get if he doesn’t go out for awhile? I definitely want to hear about your dog walking adventures.

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