DECOMPRESSION WALKS

[survivor1288]

I adopted my My ~1.x y/o rescue about 5 months ago. I'm lucky enough to have a fenced in yard so that's how he got most of his exercise. However, I just came across this trainer Sarah Stremming's podcast, Cog Dog Radio. She has a lot of episodes about reactivity, and one of the things she talks about all the time is the importance of what she calls "decompression walks". Basically, letting your dog explore nature on their own terms, off leash (if it's safe and your dog has great recall) or at least on a long line.

She talked about how if the only exercise your dog gets is fetch/tug (my dog loves both) or other high-impact activities, that can result in adrenaline just always being present and amping your dog up even more. So she advocates taking your dog on these decompression walks where they can just sniff around and be a dog, and (very importantly) not be exposed to their triggers.

My dog gets really amped up in the woods (super high prey drive), so hiking is hard with him right now. I've been scouring google maps to find fields (e.g. behind churches or schools, soccer fields, random meadows or wide empty unpopulated parks). Well I've finally found what I think is the perfect spot! A wide open meadow, surrounded by forest, no sidewalks where dogs will walk by, lots of interesting smells in the grass. I took archie out there for an hour and he LOVED it! He mostly just trotted around and sniffed (though we did run around for a little bit just having him chase me) and now he is exhausted just napping away contentedly.

If you have a car, I would HIGHLY recommend finding a spot nearby (this was 15 min from my hosue) to take your pup out on walks like this as opposed to a neighborhood walk. Archie was so much more relaxed.

Here's him having a great time

 

[tttk]

@survivor1288 I think this has been mentioned on this sub elsewhere, but if your recall isn't 100% and you would prefer a fenced space for this kind of thing, check out Sniff Spot! It's an app kind of similar to AirBnB, where people rent out their outdoor space.

People set their own prices so it can vary, but there's a fully fenced half-acre spot near me for a pretty affordable $6 an hour. I've seen some huge spots (25 acres, woods, river, etc) for like $25 an hour, but I probably wouldn't pay that much. There was also one that was just an unfenced front yard in a suburban neighborhood for $4 an hour so YMMV, but for training and especially for reactive dogs it's worth checking out!

 

[veronicaplr]

@tttk I have been looking for the name of that app for weeks now!! Thank you!!!!

 

[redeemed20300]

@tttk This thing was an absolute LIFE SAVER for me when I was renting. Recommend 1000%.

 

[suzyaussie]

@tttk Thank you so much for this! I just found a place near me that is a reactive dog specialty dog park where it’s time slotted “your dog only”. This will be a blessing.

 

[kendawg]

@tttk Ooh good to know. Thank you! We have a backyard but want to work on recall and not go to a dog park. I'll check this out now!

 

[qwertyuiop87]

@survivor1288 This is beautiful!

I’m also fortunate to have a yard but there is only so much walking around he can do in there. I’ve tried to do scent work which he really enjoys. Unfortunately we back up to an alley shared with businesses so if there’s people hanging out back there, his reactivity can ramp up. He wouldn’t be reactive to that normally but the limited vision between the fence slats makes everything so emergent!

My version of these decompression walks has taken the shape of walking really early in the morning. It kinda sucks for me waking up earlier than I would but knowing that he’s getting that time to just sniff, free from having to be “on guard”, is really nice and strengthens our connection. So much of his behavior on leash comes from a place of wanting to protect me. I can see that but others can’t/and I can’t expect them to. Walking before little kids are out playing unpredictably and before there’s tons of dogs is just peaceful for he and I both!

 

[petra888]

@qwertyuiop87 I do this at the end of our day, when it’s dark. We rarely see dogs or people that late at night, and giving him the opportunity to sniff around and be a dog and not worry too much is really bringing me peace of mind. Of course we still have incidents occasionally, but being out makes his life richer, and gives me the opportunity to reinforce the training we’re doing outside the house/training studio.

 

[kt71]

@survivor1288 Cog Dog Radio is probably my favorite dog related podcast. I started taking my dogs for more off-leash walks after I heard that episode. (And I started letting them run/play in muddy puddles. I just repeat to myself "Let dogs be dogs" and try not to worry about the mess.) Definitely have seen an improvement in them (more responsive to me on-leash and my one dog who is a bit reactive when meeting new, bigger dogs is calmer and getting better at walking away when we go to the dog park). I've only been taking them to one park for the decompression walks. Never thought to check out google maps for other fields to explore.

 

[survivor1288]

@kt71 Yeah I really like her training philosophy! I've probably listened to 80% of the Cog Dog episodes

 

[bethelxhillsong]

@survivor1288 This is great advice, thanks for posting

 

[survivor1288]

@bethelxhillsong You're welcome! I know how overwhelming reactivity can be for all parties and this sub has helped me so much so it's nice to share stuff when I find what works for me

 

[biblejohnmark]

@survivor1288 My trainer recommends "sniffy walks." The leash is loose, you're next to the dog the whole time, but she's taking her time, sniffing every thing she wants to sniff. It really does calm them down.

 

[saltpackage1234]

@biblejohnmark That's what we do too! I'm disabled so if I can't walk her as far one day then we do sniffy walks! It tires her out more than a hike lol

 

[cheekyogre]

@survivor1288 Our reactive Blue Heeler is very, VERY wound up, even after his daily morning run or bike following activity, until he gets exactly this. We are fortunate to live in a city with a ton of biking/walking/hiking trails in the middle of town, and take him and our kids to the more secluded ones almost daily. He has great recall, but we also keep him on an e-collar that we use the vibrate button on to get his attention with on the rare occasion that telling him to come doesn't have him getting back to us immediately. It's easily his favorite part of the day when we tell him to load up. His behavior is a million times better after such walks too- it doesn't have to be a long one, but I think he just feels sorta the way we do: he needs "me time" to do Indy stuff! Reactivity is WAY down after he gets it.

 

[skyes]

@survivor1288 This is such a great tip, I’m gonna use this for my new bonded pair...one is having a little more trouble adjusting, and would LOVE to feel like he can get out and explore more. I’ve got the perfect park nearby, and I’m gonna be getting a couple long leads for them. Thank you for sharing!

 

[survivor1288]

@skyes It's so relaxing for everyone! Enjoy

 

[whitj77]

@survivor1288 I've been using the nearby elementary school playground. it's fenced and after 5:45 pm or so no one is there

 

[jesusislord7]

@survivor1288 Oh, this is exactly what we've been doing, but I didn't know there was a word for it. We live in the PNW near lots of forest. I used to take my dog on a nearby trail where we never saw anyone, but it got discovered in a big way during the pandemic, so I can't really anymore due to reactivity. I started just taking him straight into the forest at undeveloped corners where no one else goes, and he's in heaven. He follows his nose, he jumps over logs, he wades through streams, he dives into ferns... He gets a level of exercise that walks can't give him, and he comes away calm and happy. The only problem is in that I can't take him every day, but he never stops begging to go.

We've been calling it "tromping."

 

[survivor1288]

@jesusislord7 Love this! I'm always scared to unclip the long line because I'm scared of him running into traffic but I know he would love it so much. Gotta keep working that recall!