Episode #245 One Minute to a Better Walk

Is your dog dragging you out the door the second you clip on the leash? In this episode of The Puppy Training Podcast, Amy shares a simple one-minute habit that can transform your daily walks. Learn what engagement exercises are, why they matter, and how this quick routine sets the tone for calmer, more connected outings. Whether you have a young puppy or an older dog with some pulling habits, this tip will help you prevent problems before they start and make walking together more enjoyable.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Simple Leash Walking Tip
• 1:10 Baxter & Bella Classes Overview
• 2:29 The One-Minute Engagement Exercise
• 4:52 Why Pre-Walk Engagement Works
• 7:15 Common Mistakes and Solutions
• 9:20 Weekly Challenge and Conclusion

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Sometimes we tend to overcomplicate things. Today, I want to share with you one simple tip to make your walks with your dog better. Welcome to the Puppy Training Podcast. I'm Amy Jensen, founder of Baxter Bella, the online puppy school. Here we are all about helping you create the best possible experience raising a puppy, from training tips to practical tricks, all aimed at fostering a happy, well-behaved dog who truly feels like part of the family. So if you are ready to enjoy the journey and strengthen the bond with your dog, let's get started. Hey everybody, thanks for being here.

Speaker 1: 0:42

Today. We are talking leash walking, and I know this can be something that frustrates a lot of people, but it's also something that a lot of people want to be able to do with their dog. I think we get a dog and we think, oh, I have to take it on a walk. It's like this responsibility I feel inside of me to do, and so we put a lot of pressure on ourselves that we can do this. We can do it well, and there's a lot of work involved in leash walking, but today I'm going to try to just offer you one tip that will help your walks go more smoothly. Now, before we dive in, I just want to remind you that we do have classes and courses being taught live via Zoom at Baxter and Bella. So I know it's back to school time. If you need something added into your routine or schedule and you have a little more time because kids are back at school now, please check out our classes and courses. We offer six-week basic puppy kindergarten. We offer six weeks of intermediate training. We offer an AKC Canine Good Citizen prep course so that you can go and test your dog for their CGC. We offer tips and tricks and we talk about leash walking. We have an entire class on leash walking. So if you're just getting started with a brand new puppy, today's tip is not really for you. This is going to be once your dog is out and able to walk on a leash. But if you need help getting started, definitely head over to our classes and courses page to check out our leash walking class. That'll get you up to speed and and then this tip will absolutely be helpful. All right, we also have classes that you guys on biting, jumping, reactivity, resource guarding any dog topic you can think of. Really, we have created a class for that to educate you on how to handle that and to get your dog behaving better. Okay, so leash walking Now.

Speaker 1: 2:23

Leash walking is one of those things that takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of patience and persistence. This is not something that just happens. This is something that our dog learns how to do, just like a kid learns how to do math. Right. So they start out in elementary school and they don't even know what a number is. We have to start there, and then we teach them how to combine the numbers with addition, subtraction, and then, you know, by high school, they're doing calculus, which is amazing. Now, leash walking is that way.

Speaker 1: 2:49

Sometimes we get this puppy and we think, oh, I have to take it on a walk right away. No, no, no, no. First we have to teach it what is a leash, how to look at us, all of those things, and so I will teach you that in our leash walking class. But today, if you already have a dog and you've done a lot of work on leash walking and it's still not going exactly as you would like, here's one tip that might help you out. Okay, so the next time you grab the leash and head out the door, I don't want you to just rush outside. Instead, pause, take one little break for one intentional minute of engagement exercises.

Speaker 1: 3:22

Now, what are engagement exercises exactly? These are simply when your dog is tuned in and focused on you. Now, before you leave the house, spend just one minute. Even Two would be ideal. One, okay, that's better than nothing, right? One minute? You guys practicing things like eye contact on me, a simple watch me or look at me, whatever your cue is. Anytime your dog gives you eye contact as you're walking around the house, reward them. So just a few of those.

Speaker 1: 3:50

Some hand touches we teach you how to do touch the touch cue in our program. That's where you just pop out your hand and your dog nose bumps your palm with their nose. That's a check-in, right. We like that. You could do a couple of easy things like sit down or spin. Some tricks that are fun. You're just getting your dog to respond to your cues. We really want that to happen before you head out the door, right, you're kind of teaching them. Hey, we're about to go on a walk, but before we do, I need us to be a team, I need us to work together. Even a short recall, right, calling them from a few steps away. They come to you. Reward them, move a few steps away, repeat that process. So again, one to two minutes is all. You're just getting your dog to check in with you by doing simple exercises that they already know. They're easy for them and you're rewarding them for working together with you as a team. These little games get your dog's brain warmed up and remind them hey, walks are a team activity. You and I are in this together before you head out the door.

Speaker 1: 4:52

Now why does this work, you might be wondering. Can a single minute really make a difference? Yes, I really think it can. And here's why, when we clip on the leash, our dogs already know what's coming right. They love patterns, so they see the leash and they are excited. And that excitement can lead to pulling, lunging or ignoring us the second the door opens. But if we pause and we build engagement first, we can prevent pulling before it starts. We can teach our dogs to check in with us, not just the environment. We set the tone for the entire walk and it strengthens our bond because they're practicing working with us instead of rushing ahead.

Speaker 1: 5:32

Now a note on that. If your dog does just rush out the door, my question to you is are you following them. If your dog is rushing out the door and you're rushing out with them, your dog is learning that rushing out the door works, so we can talk about that too. That's probably a whole nother podcast on how to get your dog to wait at the door and to patiently exit, but just be aware of okay, what am I actually rewarding? Because if things are continuing to happen, if your dog continues to pull on the leash, then something that's going on in your leash walking is working for your dog. Okay, something to think about. Now. This is like a warm-up before a workout.

Speaker 1: 6:10

Athletes don't just sprint out the door. They prepare their bodies and their minds. Our dogs need that too. There are a few common mistakes that we can make as handlers. So let's be honest. Sometimes we are in a rush. We just want to get out the door, but skipping this step often leads to frustration on the walk. Some handlers also ask too much too soon from their puppies. So keep it short and fun. Don't try to squeeze in a full training session. Just one or two little games is enough.

Speaker 1: 6:36

As these engagement exercises, you don't need to stretch this out too long. We want your dog to enjoy it and to like it right. Also, on that note, keep the walks short and fun. Sometimes we stretch them out too long. Maybe we're halfway around the block and that's where our puppy's attention span ends, right, especially if you have a younger dog. Their attention span grows over time as they mature. So if you're starting too long of walks too soon, it's going to be an uphill battle and we don't want power struggles on walks. So also, remember, use rewards. You guys Treats, praise, play, make checking in with you worthwhile.

Speaker 1: 7:14

Engagement doesn't happen magically. If you take your dog out into the world and they see a butterfly or a squirrel or a lizard, you guys know all of the things, right, you're like, yep, I know, I know what my dog loves. Then we're competing with all of that. We've got to have something that makes us interesting as well. Right, and we teach that inside, in a non-distracting environment these check-ins before we ever head outside, because it's way harder for a dog to pay attention outside than it is inside. So, yeah, it just doesn't happen magically. This is work that you guys have put in before. You started outdoor leash walking and we teach you all about that in our class that I mentioned at the beginning. So this is something. Check-ins are something that we build through positive reinforcement and repetitions. Now, what if my dog is too excited to focus? You say that's a great question and I hear it often.

Speaker 1: 8:01

Some dogs, especially puppies or high-energy breeds, can hardly sit still when they know a walk is coming. They are so excited. If that's your pup, we want to again start inside Practice engagement in the living room. Before you even pick up the leash, you can use high-value food, rewards, something extra special and keep it super short. Even one successful watch me or look at me as a win. Adding movement helps too. Sometimes it's hard for our dogs to sit still right. We know they have a lot of energy and they just need to move. That's where some of those spins comes into play. Or tricks right High fives, shake touch my hand, right the little touches or the recall practice. That's a great way to get a dog who needs to move. Because they're so excited they can move as they check in with you, which is great. It's very productive, all right, so here's your challenge for the week.

Speaker 1: 8:46

Next time you're ready for a walk, I want you to clip on the leash If your dog is too excited when they see the leash. I want you to work on that as an exercise. Can they sit, or can they collect a food reward off the floor, a little food scatter while you clip their leash on? And then we set up this pattern, this future pattern of oh, I'm calm when the leash goes on right. So clip that leash on Before you touch the doorknob. I want you to set a timer for one minute. I want you to do a few engagement exercises, like we discussed, and then head out the door and see if there's a difference. Exercises like we discussed, and then head out the door and see if there's a difference. Over time and with repetition, I think you'll be surprised at how much calmer and more connected your dog feels, right from the start.

Speaker 1: 9:24

All right, you guys. Thanks for listening. Remember, training doesn't have to take hours. Sometimes it's just these small habits make the biggest difference. Just one intentional minute here or there before your walk can prevent pulling, builds connection and it makes walks so much more enjoyable for both you and your dog. So give it a try this week. One minute to a better walk, let's see how it goes. Thanks for tuning in. I hope you have a great rest of your week and happy training. Thanks for tuning in to the Puppy Training Podcast. I hope today's tips help you feel more confident and excited about raising your dog. 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. If you found this episode helpful, be sure to subscribe, leave a review and share it with fellow puppy parents. For more resources, visit Baxter and Bella online. Until next time, happy training.