Pack Walks

Our pack walks are absolutely free!  I just want to show a little love to the community by helping dogs do better on the walk.  

All are invited!  Yes, even your unruly character!  Pack walks can be powerfully helpful to reactive dogs.  The single best way to help dogs achieve a calm state is to bring them together in a group.  Dogs moving together become unified and develop bonds as pack mates.  

A pack walk can be super helpful even if your dog is very reactive because they are put in a more controlled situation than what would normally be found in the real-world, unpredictable environment we and our dogs often find ourselves in.  

When dog's walk, their body moves forward and so does their mind.  That's why pack walks can be so therapeutic.  Walking with the pack gives them the time they need to calm down and begin to experience other dogs in a whole new way.

Details:

1. Location is based on what town I am training in on the day of the walk.  I will post locations on this site and my Facebook page at least 2 weeks prior to each walk.  Because the training area that I service is quite large, you may not be able to make it to every walk, but even if you could come once a month it would be beneficial.  
2. Days and times will also vary based on when and where my clients are scheduled.  Walks will either be scheduled on Saturdays or evenings when the days are longer.
3. Reactive dogs are very welcome!  Pack walks can be especially helpful to these types of dogs.  
4. Every dog must be on a 4 or 6 foot leash .  No retractable leashes allowed, please!  
5. Only one dog per handler unless you have been cleared by us a Dream Dog Adventures.
6. Please respect each dog's personal space.  This walk is NOT for socializing the dogs.  Not every dog that comes to the pack walk will be friendly with other dogs.  Please allow plenty of space between dogs.  Even if your dog finds a friend that he wants to play with,  no playing or leash tangling is allowed either before or after the walk.
7. We will be selecting the walking order and may move dogs around as need be.
8. There will be frequent stops on the walk to allow for everyone to recollect dogs that get a little excited and may be pulling.
9. Please bring water for your dog for during the walk on hot days or after we are finished with the walk
10. You are responsible for cleaning up after your dog.  Be sure that you are equipped with doggie clean-up bags.  
11. If your dog responds positively to treats and they help to focus your dog, you may certainly bring them.  If it wrecks your dog's state of mind, skip the treats and focus on keeping calm energy and interrupting any staring at other dogs
12. Just like at Planet Fitness, you will be in a judgment-free zone among friends.  Please don't be embarrassed if your dog has a meltdown, we will address any issues  and move on as a pack.
13. When we pass other people with dogs, bikers, or runners please place yourself between the other person and your dog.  This helps your dog to be less reactive. 
14. Learn to appreciate the small victories and celebrate your dog's success as he begins to be calmer when walking with a group. 

What is most exciting about pack walks is seeing reactive dogs begin to settle as they experience the rhythm of the walk.  Calm energy is contagious, you see!  Even if a dog is initially lunging and being nutty at the area where we gather.  Once we start moving we will see them get into the groove and relax.  It's pretty cool stuff!

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