Why Your Dog Ignores You On Walks: Flipping The Training Script.

Is your dog an angel at home but a rebel on walks? Learn how to make your walks the main event and get real-world results in your training.

I’ve just got off the phone to a client who I have been working with on a 121 basis to help with training their dog who is struggling to focus on walks. I discussed at length how we can inadvertently create a dog who switches off outside to us by us doing the bulk of the dogs training indoors.

Checkout my thought process below 👇🏾

Stop Training Your Dog Exclusively at Home (Yes, I’m Serious)…

Alright, hear me out. If you’re reading this, it’s probably because your dog simply doesn’t listen to you when it really matters, right?
Like perhaps, when you’re trying to call them away from the world’s most interesting bit of scented grass that a dog pee’d on an hour ago or the sight of a dog across the road?
We’ve all been there …right?

We all know that a big part of dog training is about picking the correct currency—that might be food, toys or play etc. And sure, they can all work like magic in different situations.

But here’s the thing: most owners spend way too much time training and playing at home. Why not ? It’s safe, cosy, distraction-free and lots of fun right! At home your dog’s biggest competition is probably the fridge door opening. And hey, don’t get me wrong, that’s nice… but then comes the real test.

You head out on a walk and…. Your dog looks at you like, “Who are you, and why are you making that squeaky noise?”

The treats you painstakingly packed… Are fast ignored. Their favourite squeaky toy… It’s like it doesn’t exist. Suddenly, you’re standing there like a right numpty, while your dog auditions for the role of Scent Detective frantically sniffing the grass where maybe another dog peed 3 hours ago. Or maybe they’re fixated on the fluffy dog across the road!

Let’s break this down for a second. Why on earth would your dog want to engage with you when the better deal is waiting back home? Think about it: less effort, massive payout at home, plus they aren’t used to engaging with you in the real world. The fun training this far has almost exclusively happened indoors.

Out on walks you are competing with squirrels, dogs, people and a thousand tempting smells? These distractions are now up against the jackpot of goodies you’ve made so easily available indoors, but these rewards aren’t something the dog has become conditioned to expect or enjoy outdoors.

So, why on earth would your dog choose you when you’re giving away these prizes for free later?

Your dogs could choose to : Listen to you now, outside, with all these distractions?
Or

Save his energy and get paid at home where the rewards on offer are the same but the distractions aren’t competing.

Here’s the thing: we need to flip this dynamic on its head. And no, you don’t have to act like a deranged wind-up toy to get their attention.

We want home to be a sanctuary, not a theme park.

Walks? Now that’s to become the workplace. That’s where the party with rewards and pay from you happens from now on.

Let’s give you an example, my own most difficult dog, Bee, doesn’t get to play with balls or tug toys in the house. They’re off-limits indoors.

Training at home? This only happens if I’m introducing something new, and even then, just a couple of times. Where does the real fun happen? Out on walks in the real world. Because when we’re out there, and I need Bee’s attention?

I’m not giving away rewards for very little when I’m at home on the sofa. No chance.

So if you’re finding yourself ignored on walks, consider this: have you accidentally become the world’s most generous at-home entertainment provider? Are you shooting yourself in the foot without realising it?

This week, think about what’s available at home versus what’s available on a walk. Make yourself the highlight of the walk, not the background noise to every passing pigeon.

Don’t get me wrong you aren’t going to start this in busy park on a sunny Saturday afternoon but you need to start to think of walks as being where the training and rewards happen after all that’s where you need your dog to really listen.

Let me know how you get on.