Latest / The Puppy Training Podcast / Episode #252 Leash Skills 2.0 — Beyond Pulling

Transcript

Episode #252 Leash Skills 2.0 — Beyond Pulling · The Puppy Training Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Are you ready to take your dog's leashwalking to the next level?
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Today's episode is all about advanced leashwalking.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Puppy Training Podcast.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Amy Jensen, founder of Baxter and Fella, the online puppy school.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Here we are all about helping you create the best possible experience raising a puppy.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: From training tips to practical tricks, all aimed at fostering a happy, well-behaved dog who truly feels like part of the family.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are ready to enjoy the journey and strengthen the bond with your dog, let's get started.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to the podcast.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: Today we are talking about leash skills, and we want to go beyond basics.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: We want to go beyond just don't pull.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: So if you've listened to my earlier episodes on basic leash walking, you already know how to teach your dog not to drag you down the street.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: But today we're diving deeper into why leash manners matter, what's really going on emotionally for your dog on walks, and how different kinds of walks meet different needs.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Because here's the truth: not every walk should look the same.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Some walks are about training and structure, others are about exploring and decompression.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: And when we learn to match the type of walk to what our dog needs, we see calmer, happier dogs who behave better, both on and off the leash.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: Let's start with what's really happening for your dog emotionally when they are on leash.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: When dogs are out in the world, their senses are on high alert.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: There's new smells, sights, sounds, people, and other dogs.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's a lot of stimulation.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: Being on leash limits how they can respond to that stimulation, and that can create some frustration or tension.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now, here's the key idea: arousal in our dogs isn't always bad.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's simply energy or excitement in their bodies.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: But when that arousal gets too high, maybe another dog barks across the street or a skateboard zips by, that excitement can turn into pulling, barking, or even lunging.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: Now, your job on walks isn't just to keep the leash loose, it's to help your dog stay emotionally balanced.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: That means we're reading their body language and we're using the right kind of walk for the right situation.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: Next, let's talk about the different types of walks and what each one is for.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about number one training walks.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: These are your structured walks.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: These are short sessions when you're practicing leash manners, attention cues, and calm walking skills.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: Your dog's staying right by your side and they're giving you really good check-ins.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: Think of it like a mini training class in motion.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: You might use food rewards, you might reward check-ins, ask for behaviors like a heel, sit, leave it, or look at me.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: And the purpose is we're teaching your dog how to walk politely and stay focused on you, no matter the distractions that are happening around them.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now, here's a tip: we want to keep these walks short and positive, maybe five to 10 minutes, and then give them a break to sniff.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Over time, your puppy will be able to do these for longer and longer periods of time, but in the beginning, keep them short, give them a go sniff break.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: You can even go back and forth between the two.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_00: So that brings me to our next kind of walk, and this is called a go sniff walk.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: So dogs experience the world primarily through scent.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: A go sniff walk lets them explore at their own pace, investigating those invisible dog emails that are left behind by others.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the purpose of this type of walk is mental enrichment and fulfillment.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: I like to use a longer line or a longer leash, if it's safe in your area, and I clip it to the back of my dog's harness, and then I say, go sniff, and I let them choose the path.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: You still have to follow the rule of no not following a pulling puppy, okay?
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: So if your puppy's pulling, you cannot follow them.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: But that longer line is going to give you a little more leeway and give your dog a little more freedom to go sniff where they want to sniff.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: But you just still have to set that boundary of these are my parameters.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: You're still on a leash.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: If you get to the end of that line, I'm not following the pulling, okay?
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: That's important.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: But your dog's going to love this kind of walk.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: They get to explore and smell and sniff.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: It's all of the things they love.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: So here's the magic: a good sniff session can be just as tiring, sometimes more, than a long run, right?
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: It lowers their stress hormones and helps dogs decompress naturally.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: So allow your dog to sniff.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: I love go sniff walks and my dogs love them too.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: And you can do a little bit of both the training walk and the go sniff walk together, as I mentioned, but the go sniff part is your dog's mental health walk.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Okay?
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: It's where it reduces their stress and emotional tension and they just get to be a dog, which is really rewarding to them.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: And if your dog struggles with reactivity or anxiety, these kind of decompression walks are a must.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: They allow your dog's nervous system to reset, something structured walks alone can't provide.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so that's all well and good.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: But what about your dog when they have pent-up energy?
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: What kind of walk do we do then?
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: So if your dog has a lot of built-up energy, they need to move and get that energy out.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe this is a brisk walk, like a faster-paced walk.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's a jog, maybe it's just a simple game of fetch or frisbee in your backyard.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe if you're at the park, put a harness and a long line on your dog and let them chase a toy, right?
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: So they're getting that energy out and they're getting a little bit of run in.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is important to let your puppy dictate this.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: This is not us making them exercise.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: This is my puppy wants to run and they need to get some energy out.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm going to let them in a play sort of way.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: So this is more of a physical outlet for energy and stamina.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: And like I mentioned, it doesn't always have to be on leash.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: It can be in your backyard.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: It can be in a hallway.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: It can be, you know, just somewhere where you have an open space and you can just toss toys for your dog to get that energy out.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um, if you want, yeah, absolutely.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: Put the leash on and go for that faster-paced walk or a slight jog if your dog's wanting to do that.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's important that we let our puppies grow and mature before we're taking them on long runs.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: So talk to your veterinarian and figure out the best timeline to do that with your dog.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: But there will be times that your dog needs a physical outlet because they have all of that energy, right?
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: So schedule times when your dog can get their energy out.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and remember that physical exercise alone is not going to solve behavior issues.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: So sometimes clients will call and say, I think I just need to exercise them more.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I said, Actually, it's usually opposite.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: You probably need to rest them more or give them more naps and you'll see better behavior.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but physical exercise is important.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: It just has to be balanced with mental and emotional work.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: Training is fabulous for this.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um, also the go sniff walks and training walks help with actually change behavior better.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let's talk about mixing and matching walks depending on our dog's needs.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: Like, how do we put this all together?
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the best walking routine, in my opinion, is a mix of all the leash walks.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: So, matching this to our dog's personality, age, and energy level.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: Here's an example for a typical week.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe in the morning, I take my dog out on a short training walk.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: We practice focus before the day starts.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: I reward them when they check in with me.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe in the middle of the day, we do a quick uh sniff walk in the yard or the neighborhood and I let my dog explore and decompress, right?
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: And in the evening, maybe we need to get some energy out again after dinner time.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: We go out and toss a frisbee or a throw-up ball, and then we end with a nice go sniff walk, which will do some decompression for my dog.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: For young puppies in training, we want to focus more on the go sniff walks when we're out and about.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: Their brains are still developing, and too much structure or stimulation can lead to burnout or frustration or even reactivity.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: So we want to make sure that we are doing the leash walking at an appropriate rate for our dog's learning.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: When they're young and small, we're doing it inside our home with minimal distractions.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: We're working on that focus and attention in increasingly more difficult environments.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then when we do want to go out into the world and go for a walk, letting them sniff and decompress is super helpful because they're doing a lot of training already throughout the day.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: As our dogs grow and mature, they'll be able to handle more of a structured walk for longer periods of time.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: When we meet our dogs' needs for both movement and mental satisfaction, we see big changes.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: We see less leash frustration, we see fewer outbursts or pulling, we see more focus and relaxation at home as well.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as you vary your walks intentionally, you'll start to notice patterns.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe your dog's leash manners improve after a decompression walk, or they focus better on training walks after sniffing for a few minutes.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: That's your training insight.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: We want to balance structure with freedom to go sniff.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_00: If this topic has you excited to keep improving your walks, I'd love to invite you to our advanced leash walking class.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's going to be taught live via Zoom this Saturday.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: This class is included for all our members, and you can find the details, including how to join, on our website under classes and courses in our members' area.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: This is going to be a fun, interactive way to strengthen your connection and take your walks from just okay to truly enjoyable for both you and your dog.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: So to sum it up, leash skills are about more than control.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: They are about emotional balance.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: Different walks serve different purposes: training, sniffing, decompressing, or exercise, right?
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the right mix helps your dog feel calm, connected, and content.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: So next time you grab the leash, ask yourself, what kind of walk does my dog need right now?
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: That question alone can transform your daily routine.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening, you guys.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you have a great week.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: Happy training.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for tuning in to the Puppy Training Podcast.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: I hope today's tips help you feel more confident and excited about raising your dog.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, with a little patience and consistency, you can create a loving bond and a well-behaved pup who's a joy to have in your family.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: If you found this episode helpful, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with fellow puppy parents.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: For more resources, visit Baxter and Bella online.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, happy training.