5 simple tips for stress-free walks

You got a dog dreaming of taking them out on lots of relaxing walks. But then you discovered that reality is very different. Your dog pulls you to every person or dog they see out on a walk and as soon as you let them off lead they run as far away from you as possible. Now you're dreading taking them out because what should be the best part of your day has become a huge chore.

But walking your dog doesn't have to be stressful. Here are some of my favourite simple changes to help you love walking your dog again:

1. Plan your walk carefully

It might seem easier to just walk from your house everyday at a convenient time for you, but that might be causing you and your dog unnecessary stress. Your dog's likely to struggle to focus on you in distracting environments so walking in quieter places or at quieter times of day will make your walks much more relaxing. You'll be so much more excited to walk your dog if you're not worrying which person they'll jump up at or whether they'll drag you across the road to meet a dog. Changing when and where you walk your dog can feel frustrating, but it's not likely to be forever. With training, your dog will learn to focus on you and cope in busier environments and you'll soon be enjoying your walks AND walking in convenient places at convenient times.

Your dog will find it easier to listen to you if there aren’t lots of dogs and people to distract them

2. Reward eye contact

Most people who are finding dog walks stressful are struggling with either loose lead walking or recall (often both...). And that's not surprising - these are two of the most difficult things to train your dog. The hardest battle with both loose lead walking and recall is getting your dog to choose you over all the other exciting options in the environment. Luckily there's a really easy way to improve your dog's focus on you on and off lead, all you need to do is give your dog a treat every time they choose to look at you either around the house or on walks. If your dog is looking at you they're interested in what you're doing rather than distracted by the world. And a dog who wants to know what you're up to is a dog who walks with you - both on and off lead.

3. Take the right kit

A lot of people needlessly struggle walking their dog because they don't have the right equipment. Training your dog to walk nicely on the lead and come back when called is much easier with the right kit but there's so much dog walking stuff for sale and it can be confusing working out what's the right choice for you and your dog. But you don't need to stress about what to buy to make walking your dog as stress-free as possible. Click here to download my free guide to the 10 Must-Have Tools for Stress-Free Walks.

4. Consider hiring a secure field

If your dog struggles around unfamiliar people or dogs or their recall is still a work in progress, a secure field can be a great place to let your dog off lead. You won't have to worry about what will happen if your dog sees people, dogs, squirrels, deer, cars etc. because you can feel safe knowing they aren't able to escape. And they're a great place to let your dog off lead for the first time if you're anxious they might not come back. You'll be able to relax and focus on training your recall rather than worrying about what might happen if your dog doesn't listen.

Try finding things in the environment that you and your dog can interact with together

5. Have fun with your dog

Walking your dog can feel like a chore when your dog's not interested in you and it feels like you and your dog are going on separate walks. By taking the time to have fun with your dog on walks, you can increase their focus on you and start feeling like you're actually going on a walk together. Playing games like tug or fetch, throwing treats for your dog to chase or catch, pointing out exciting places for your dog to sniff (usually lampposts and bins) and finding logs for you and your dog to climb on, puddles to splash in and piles of leaves to run in will make walking your dog so much more exciting. Being silly and being more dog is a great way to start enjoying walking your dog so it can be the best part of your day.

Written by Juniper Indigo, dog trainer in Tiverton and Exeter