Places to Walk Your Leash Reactive Dog
If you have a dog with big feelings, I know that walks in the neighborhood can feel stressful and overwhelming. There are dogs, cats, people, and other critters to dodge.
Not to mention the possible random scary things like seasonal decorations (I’m looking at you, giant blow up Santas) and loud trash trucks.
You might feel constantly on edge or anxious about seeing one of your dog’s triggers.Walking a reactive dog always makes me feel like I’m playing IRL Frogger.
It’s like: can my dog and I get out of the house, get some good sniffs in, and get back home without a big blowup reaction?
You also might notice that neighborhood walks don’t seem that fun for your dog either, if they are constantly being confronted by things that elicit those Big Feelings. One way to make walks less stressful is to walk in a place that sets you and your dog up for success!
Because you don’t actually have to walk your dog in your neighborhood if you don’t want to. So let’s talk about some options for different walking spots!
What to look for in a walking spot for a reactive dog:
Open space for freedom of movement
Visual barriers from triggers (e.g. trees, parked cars)
Fun smells for your dog to investigate
Various “escape routes” from triggers
Safe for you and your dog
Minimal exposure to your dog’s triggers
A few ideas for non-conventional walk spots:
Business parks on the weekends
Church parking lots
Empty sports complexes
Ask a friend if you can use their backyard for an hour
Public schools after-hours (where permitted)
Dog-friendly cemetaries
SniffSpots
Yes, parking lots can be just as fun as trails!
Even if it seems like a parking lot might be boring, you might be surprised by how much fun your dog finds sniffing in these places!
My dog, JJ, loves to sniff the bumper things at the end of parking spots. In this video there was actually a giant grassy field to our left, but she was choosing to spend time investigating these things.
None of us really imagine nice walks in a parking lot, vacant business park, or graveyard when we get our dogs.
But even though these places may be not quite what we imagined, they are often more fun and enriching for our dogs, since there are fewer triggers and scary things.
There also tends to be more space to “escape” when you do spot a trigger like a person or another dog - as opposed to getting stuck on a narrow greenway or trail with nowhere to turn.
(Although I have definitely been known to run into the woods with JJ to avoid other dogs.)
By thinking outside of the box a little bit, we can still meet our dog’s need to sniff and explore - without the stress of neighborhood walks.
P.S. Enjoyed this article and want a little something extra?
Download our Big Feelings Dog Checklist to get practical, low-key tips you can start using right away to support your dog. It’s full of our favorite simple strategies to help your dog feel safer and more at ease.
