3 Easy hacks to find the fun in walking your dog

Dogs chasing cars
My dogs are savvy enough to stay away from traffic but things began to change once my neighbor’s dog started tagging along. Sammy was rather wild to begin with and wouldn’t allow me to touch her. A smart animal, she began showing up just when the dogs and I were about to set out. Although I didn’t invite her along, I also couldn’t prevent her from joining us.
Sammy is one of those dogs that loves to chase cars. Why certain dogs chase cars is still a bit of a mystery. While we don’t fully understand the instincts driving this behavior, the truth is that dogs running after cars can lead to dangerous situations for both animals and drivers. Of course, people who saw us together assumed Sammy was my dog and some got irate at me.
Moreover, I noticed that she was teaching my dog Carol to chase cars too and that didn’t work for me. My strategy was to avoid walking near the road while I built rapport with Sammy. Once she allowed me to touch her it got a little easier. Now, whenever a car drives by, I use it as a training session.
Just the other day we were out walking when a car came towards us. Sammy perked up and was about to try her usual tricks. Immediately, I called out, leave it! To my delight, she stopped in her tracks, turned around, and came to me.
If your dog has a tendency to chase cars, be alert and command them to ‘Leave it,’ as patiently as possible. Grab their collar if necessary and verbally reinforce your command until the danger passes. It might take 100 times but as long as you’re diligent, the message will get communicated.

Leash pulling
Nowadays there are many harnesses and martingale dog collars etc that act as a deterrent to leash pulling. Nevertheless, I still see people being pulled along by their dog rather than walking with a loose leash. If you have a strong dog that is determined to be in charge, step up your leadership energy. What if you could be a cool, calm, and relaxed leader?
Generally speaking, I’m not in favor of making threats unless you’re willing to follow through. You can’t fake it with animals, they see right through our pretense. So you’ve got to say what you mean clearly and firmly and mean what you say. That way, no force is required, plus your arms won’t be sore after every outing! Dogs especially want to please us and it’s quite easy to manipulate your animal into following your commands.

Finding the fun factor
When I see someone walking their animal while scrolling their phone, that’s a sign that dog walking has become a chore. We understand the importance of physical activity and sensory stimulation, particularly if we live in apartments or have an athletic dog. And, what would make it more fun for you also? Could you invite along a friend or use this time to relax and unwind? Perhaps you could vary your routine and explore a different neighborhood. If you still find dog walking boring, then why not hire a dog walker? What other possibilities could you consider?