Dog Walking In The City
Dog walking in the city is so different than in an area where your dog can roam free. Here are a few things we have learned throughout our years of experience of dog walking in a big city.
1-on-1 Walks vs. Group Walks
Group walks are great if your dog gets along with other dogs. They can be a source of socialization for your dog during their day plus getting them outside, fresh air, exercise, and all the wonderful benefits for both their mental, emotional, and physical health.
Here at Puppy Time we do small group “companion” walks with 2-3 dogs and our larger group walks are no more than 4 dogs. Otherwise it gets a bit much to handle and we want to make sure we can pay attention to each dog.
1-on-1 walks are great for dogs who may not get along with other dogs, have health concerns, can’t walk as fast or as far as other dogs, or simply like to be more on their own. Many dogs are not good candidates for group walks so 1-on-1 walks are perfect for them as we can focus solely on them and their needs.
Reactive Dogs - Beware
Be careful allowing your dog to approach another dog. Even though your dog might be friendly there’s A LOT (like in the ballpark of 50%) of other dogs that are not. Always ask the other care taker if it’s OK for yours to say hi.
Keep them on-leash! We have walked so many reactive dogs over the years and even though we might have our/your dog on-leash, if someone else is walking around without their dog on a leash this can be extremely triggering for the other dog when the off-leash dog runs up to say hi. Please always keep your dog on a leash, even if they are the sweetest thing. There are so many dogs who do not like other dogs, and it would be awful to have your dog attacked by the reactive dog when it could have been prevented if your dog was on-leash.
If your dog is the reactive dog then we sympathize with you. It can be stressful to walk a reactive dog in a city environment but we’ve learned that its best to keep their minds occupied on something else other than other dogs/skateboarders/cyclists/buses around - like enticing with a treat or toy, to reinforce positive behaviour (like when they ignore another dog they see) with treats or pets and praise, and to cross the street or turn around the other way if you see another walking towards you. Reactive dogs can be challenging in a city but we know they can be some of the biggest sweethearts at home in their safe space so they are still worth it. 💙
Leash Etiquette
In general it’s best to keep the leash short and to keep them right next to you on one side or the other. Usually on the right side is the best because they can sniff and pee in the yard next to where you are walking. This also prevents them having to pull across you to the other side and cut other people off walking in the other direction.
Similarly to above, we never take them off leash even in an off-leash dog park. Your pet doesn’t know us well enough to trust us and to come back when we call for them so we always keep them on leash at all times. One of our biggest fears is that they would run away while they are in our care, so on-leash always is the safest approach.
Find Nature
Your dog is an animal and will respond well to being in a more natural environment. Even in the city we search out local parks, lakes, ponds, or ocean where we can walk the dog. They love to be in nature, it’s more relaxing for them and helps them destress. Some dogs are more anxious around city traffic, lots of people, and noise so we try to walk to the nearest nature setting to take help both their mental and physical health.
I hope these dog walking best practices help if you are new to dog walking or if you just moved to the city.
Can We Help You With Your Dog?
Pease feel free to reach out if we can help you walk your dog while you’re busy with your day. We’d love to help.
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