10 Tips for Successful Dog Walks

For many people, their dogs are a very important part of their life. Dogs have become fully fledged members of our households and families.

However, just because you love your dog to the moon and back, does not mean everyone else is going to feel the same. 

In fact, your cute cuddly dogs can be a very scary experience for others that don’t know them. In my opinion, most people are out on their walks trying to be good dog owners. But it’s easy to take your eye off the ball and not notice how your dog is being a nuisance until it’s too late. Follow these 10 good dog owner tips to reduce the chances of your dog being a problem for others on your walks.

1. Awareness

Have awareness about other people, dogs, pets and wildlife that might be impacted by your dogs’ presence. Look around and think before you let your dog off the lead. Not everyone is a dog person and not everyone wants to be approached by your dog. Make sure you have good visibility if you are choosing to let your dog off.

Take a moment to see who else is around so you don’t get surprised by people coming around a corner etc. Try to keep your dog in your sight at all times when in public. 

2. Follow the rules 

Be aware of the dog rules where you are walking and stick to them. They are there for a good reason. If you are walking in an on-lead area, keep your dog on lead. Some dog owners using those areas are really relying on you to follow the on-lead rule. Their dog could have a behaviour issue. There might also be vulnerable wildlife or nests that need avoiding. Also, remember when walking in off-lead areas that you are allowed to let your dog off the lead but it’s still not cool to let them run riot.

The rules in off-lead areas are definitely more relaxed. But, you still need to maintain a level of control, especially if someone asks you to. 

Be aware the TDC dog control policy is currently under review and they will be making a final decision to updates around November 2024. 

3. Get consent for greetings

Get the OK from other dog owners before letting your dog approach. Especially if the other dog is on the lead. There are heaps of reasons why another dog or person might need space from your dog, even if your dog is friendly. The other dog could be injured, sick or recovering. There might be a big size difference between your dogs or they could be scared, training, working, in season or just not in the mood. All of these reasons are valid, and none of them have anything to do with your dog and whether or not they are friendly. It has everything to do with the other dog and how they will simply not cope with your dog’s presence.

Try not to let your dog run up to others (or their vehicles) uninvited. Despite your dog’s best intentions, it’s rude and offensive to some.

4. Train your dog 

ALL dog owners have a responsibility to train their dog. Period. At the very least dogs need to learn good recall and lead manners so they are not a nuisance in public. The bottom line is your dog needs to be taught to listen to you and it is your job to gently guide and teach them how you want them to behave. Ask for professional help if you don’t know how to achieve this or you don’t have time yourself.

Dogs thrive on knowing what’s expected of them in a given situation. Train your dog so they know what that is.

5. Make good decisions!

Have realistic expectations of your dog. As the saying goes, set your dog up for success. Try your best not to put them in situations where they are likely to be out of your control. You are the one that needs to make good decisions on their behalf. It is better to give them less freedom if that means keeping them out of mischief. Make good decisions about where you choose to go walking and whether you will let your dog off the lead. Contrary to popular belief, dogs don’t need to run like maniacs everyday to burn off energy. They just need to get out and about to stretch their legs and use their noses to sniff the environment. FYI… given the option, most dogs’ favourite thing to do is sniff, not run!

6. The right equipment for the job

Always carry a lead and use it when you need it to stay in control. Longer leads are a great option because they give dogs more freedom and give you an opportunity to practice recall training before giving them total off-lead freedom. A good walking harness is also helpful and will protect your dog’s vulnerable neck area.

Some harnesses are designed to reduce pulling in a humane way and are great for managing heavy pullers (and keeping you on your feet!). Avoid products that are designed to hurt or scare your dog like choke chains or shock collars.

7. Be transparent 

Be honest with others about your dog’s social skills (or lack thereof) so they know what to expect. Warn people you meet if your dog is nervous or fearful and you will give them an opportunity to act accordingly. If your dog is likely to struggle with social interactions, keep them on the lead and politely ask others to keep their distance if they are approaching you without asking. 

8. Clean up after your dog 

Please, please clean up after your dog. Dog poo is gross, especially other people’s dog poo. Sadly, some of our beautiful local walkways are already littered with dog poo.

As the population in our community increases so will the dog numbers. We really need to clean up our act; more dogs out walking means even more dog poo! 

I find having a solution for carrying bagged poo makes the experience a lot more pleasant. I use biodegradable bags and wear a durable pouch around my waist to store it until the next bin or until I get home. I try not to drop bagged poo on the ground to pick up on my return journey. It’s tempting, but as a human being I’m bound to forget about it at least sometimes. 

9. Consideration and compassion

Be considerate and apologetic if your dog has accidentally caused a nuisance. Your dog might have (innocently) given someone a big scare so take that into account if they are having an emotional reaction at you or your dog. A sincere apology goes a long way to resolving an accidental dog intrusion. Losing control of your dog happens to the best of us. Even dog trainers! It’s how we deal with it that sets us apart.

Also, try to have compassion for others having a bad dog day, it could be you the next time. If they are doing their best to get their dog under control, have patience and be helpful if possible. 

10. Find your dog people! 

There are dog friends out there for everyone. Dogs are social creatures and so are we humans. Find dogs and owners who appreciate your dog’s personality. Social contact is very healthy for most dogs provided it is welcomed and consenting. Of course some dogs/people are just not into other dogs and that’s OK too.

With a little consideration, planning and training we can all coexist in harmony and respectfully share public areas. 

The dog walkers at Dog Almighty take lots of dogs out for walks in our community each week. We try our very best to follow the tips above on every walk. As a team of dog experts we truly believe this approach is best practice for dog walking. Not only are the dogs kept safe, it also limits any impact we have in providing our dog walking service to lots of busy families each week. Find our dog walking team on facebook www.facebook.com/dogalmightywalks