May 22, 2025 • 10 mins
Looking for ways to make the most of the sunny season with your dog? We’ve got you covered with a guide full of exciting, safe, and fun-filled activities—from mountain hikes to beachside play.
In this episode, we’ll explore:
🥾 How to prep for dog-friendly hikes
🛶 Tips for kayaking with your pup
🐕🦺 Fun dog sports to try this summer
🌳 Park visits & more
🚗 Road trip and beach safety
🧊 Smart ways to beat the heat
Whether you’re an outdoor explorer or a weekend wanderer, this episode is packed with practical tips to make this summer unforgettable for you and your dog.
Grab the leash, pack some treats, and let’s get ready to play! 🐾
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Facebook @TheOnlinePuppySchool
YouTube @BAXTERandBella
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Check out our FREE resources!
Join our membership here.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Summer's coming up and it's time to get outdoors,
so what are some fun things thatyou can do with your dog this
summer?
Let's talk about it.
Welcome to the puppy trainingpodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter and Bella, the online
puppy school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
experience raising a puppy, fromtraining tips to practical
(00:22):
tricks, all aimed at fostering ahappy, well-behaved dog who
truly feels like part of thefamily.
So if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hello everybody, welcome to thepuppy training podcast.
I'm so glad you're here.
(00:43):
If you know somebody this summergetting a new puppy or a new
dog and they might need a littlehelp, send them our way.
This is what we do.
We specialize in helping youtrain your dog and I know having
a new puppy can be a lot.
It can be a little bitoverwhelming.
It can seem like there's amillion questions and we answer
all of them, so send them ourway if you know of somebody
(01:05):
getting a puppy Today.
I want to talk about summer.
I love summer and I'm soexcited to be wearing flip-flops
again and that the leaves areback and the grass is green.
When you live in Utah, where wehave four seasons, it's really
fun.
When that summer one rollsaround, it's nice to be able to
just walk outside without sevenlayers on, and all of those good
(01:25):
things.
Don't get me wrong, I do lovewinter too, but summer.
There's just something specialabout summer.
So let's talk about a few ideasthat you can do with your dog,
that you can bring them alongwith you.
My first idea is hiking.
I love to hike.
We have a lot of mountains herein Cache Valley, lots of trails
that we can go on.
It's a great way to get yourdog outside and to explore
together.
(01:45):
But there are a few things thatyou'll want to be aware of.
So, while it's a fantastic wayto bond with your dog and enjoy
nature, make sure, before youhit the trail, that you ensure
you are prepared.
We want to make sure that youbring a sturdy leash and a
harness.
I always travel with acollapsible water bowl and
plenty of fresh water to give mydog.
You'll want to consider also pawprotection.
So, depending on how rocky theterrain is, it can be really
(02:10):
tough on your dog's paws,especially if they don't get
outside on these surfaces a lot.
So I guess tip number one wouldbe to start with short hikes
and get them acclimated to that.
But then also you can use somepaw protection.
So putting on little dogbooties to protect against
either hot surfaces or roughterrain can prevent their paws
from cracking or bleeding.
And then I like to carry just alittle first aid kit with me.
(02:31):
So just a basic first aid kitincludes items for both me and
my dog just in case somethinghappens along the trail.
I do always keep my dog on aleash with wildlife out there.
We don't want our dogs chasingthem and we don't want them to
be chased.
So it'll be safer if you cankeep your dog on a leash with
you.
But definitely take them onhikes with you.
It's a great way to connect andto get outside.
(02:55):
Remember to check the trails,pet policies and be mindful of
your dog's fitness level.
Work them up to longer hikes,don't just start with a great
big long one.
Okay, next let's talk aboutwater.
Let's go kayaking right, paddleup with your pup.
So if your dog enjoys water,kayaking can be pretty fun.
Safety first Make sure thatyour dog is wearing a
well-fitted life jacket you aswell.
(03:16):
Acclimate them gradually soyour dog might not really enjoy
the water yet.
Maybe they have some interestin it but they've never been out
in it.
So we want to start slowly.
I like to do this just byletting my dog explore the kayak
on land before it's out in thewater.
Remember, when it's once it'sin the water, it's pretty
unstable, it's kind of wobbly.
When we want to make sure thatour dog feels comfortable with
(03:37):
the kayak itself before itstarts to wobble and be in the
water, so just put it, pull itout on your lawn, pull it out on
your grass, reward your dog forjumping on and off of it, for
sitting on it, laying down in itall of the things, so that when
you do take it out on the water, both of you are a little more
confident and then recognizecomfort matters.
So that can be pretty slipperyalso for your dog.
(03:59):
Make sure that you bring a mator something along that will
give your dog some traction onthat.
It'll help them feel moresecure and safe.
And then start with calm waters.
Lakes are great, just nicestill lakes that you can go out
and float, not a lot of crazy orchaos happening, but they get
to be out in the lake with youand enjoy being around without
chaos of rough water or otherthings that are going to make it
(04:22):
stressful for your dog.
So short trips to buildconfidence again, start on land,
then move it to the water, butkayaking can actually be
something that your dog mightreally love.
Another great summer activity isdog sports.
There's a lot of them out there, and you might have a local
club or training facility inyour area that highlights some
of these fun dog sports asclasses.
(04:43):
So enroll in one of them thatyou find interesting, and
definitely one that your dogwill find interesting, and I
think you'll have a lot of funtogether.
These can engage their mind andtheir body both at the same
time.
So summer is a perfect time fortrying out some new activities.
Here's a few ideas for you.
You might find that you have alocal agility training class.
You can also set up an agilitycourse in your backyard.
(05:04):
You can get on Amazon and ordersome tunnels and jumps.
You can build the jumps.
You can really get creativewith this, but you can find some
equipment and either, again, doit at a local class or you can
do this in your backyard.
Another idea would be scent work.
It's often classes local to youthat do scent work and teach
your dog how to find hiddentreats or toys, and it's a
(05:27):
really good time, especially ifyou have a dog who loves to
sniff.
If you're saying, amy, you knowwhat my dog's nose is always on
the ground, then get them intoscent work, stimulate their
natural sniffing instincts.
It'll be a great outlet forthem and you might find some
hidden talents.
Who knew right?
Maybe your dog's really reallygood at this and it becomes fun
for both of you.
(05:47):
Another idea, speaking ofinstincts and traits that
certain dogs have, is herdingand rally.
These are structured activitiesthat can enhance obedience and
provide mental stimulation foryour dogs.
If your dog has shepherd inthem, they are going to love the
herding aspect of it.
One way that you can alsoengage them in this is to get a
big, giant yoga ball.
Blow it up.
Let them push that around abackyard or a fenced in area and
(06:10):
watch them have a ball.
I know, see what I just didright there.
That's kind of funny.
I didn't mean to do thatactually, but it worked out.
So really try it.
Have them push a ball aroundyour backyard and I think
they'll really enjoy it.
Okay, something else that mydogs and I love to do is just
visit a park, have a socialouting.
You can even invite a friendand their dog to come along.
But I love to go on regularwalks in the park and I have a
(06:34):
park that's about a mile from myhouse, so I load the dogs up in
my car, we head to the park andthis is where they do go sniff
walks.
We get to explore, they get tocheck out every tree we pass,
and I also bring a long line anda harness and, if we want, we
can take some time to play someFrisbee or fetch in the big open
areas.
It's a great way to burn offenergy but also get them in a
(06:56):
new environment and the park youknow that's close to my house,
for example it's just quiet.
It's not crazy like a street ora sidewalk where you have cars
passing you.
I just like the peacefulserenity of being in a park and
your dog might enjoy that aswell.
Not only can you go and walkaround the park, you could also
find a bench, have your dogsettle and you can pull out a
(07:18):
book and read for a little bit.
It's a great relaxing summeractivity and your dog learns to
settle somewhere besides yourhouse.
Relaxing summer activity andyour dog learns to settle
somewhere besides your house.
Another idea for summer is ascenic drive and beach days if
you have a lake or an oceannearby.
So let's talk about road tripsfirst.
Some dogs love car rides.
Others are a little nervous inthe car.
So ensure that your dog issafely restrained and that you
(07:38):
take breaks for potty and water,and if your dog is nervous to
be in a car, let's work on thatfirst.
They might not necessarily lovea road trip if the car makes
them nervous, so we can help youwith that if needed.
But some dogs love car rides.
So load them up safely,obviously, restrain them and
then, yeah, to give themfrequent breaks to get out,
stretch their legs and get adrink of water.
Go to the bathroom If you dohave a beach nearby.
(08:01):
If you have access to dogfriendly beaches, let your pup
enjoy the sand and the surf.
Always supervise them whenswimming and provide fresh water
to prevent any saltwateringestion.
But these are great publicplaces that are often dog
friendly.
Do check with your local laws.
Make sure your dogs are leashedwhere it says they need to be
leashed and that you are onlyvisiting beaches that are, in
(08:22):
fact, dog friendly.
But hopefully we have thoselocations near us right that
we're able to take our dogs anduse these public places to enjoy
with both us and our dogs.
A lot of this, you guys,depends on us.
So here's your yearly reminderto clean up after your pet when
they go to the bathroom.
Please pick it up with a littledoggy bag and throw it away so
(08:42):
that these areas remain, or aremore likely to remain, dog
friendly.
All right, a few final reminders.
Number one is to stay cool andsafe.
Remember summer heat can bedangerous.
So first, hydrate, hydrate,hydrate.
Bring water.
Always have fresh wateravailable for your dog during
any of these activities thatyou're doing.
You can also buy some coolinggear so they make cooling vests
(09:02):
or mats to help regulate yourdog's temperature.
Avoid peak heat.
So, especially for walks,remember that sidewalks pavement
heats up really quickly.
So schedule activities wherethey will be on hotter surfaces
for the earlier part of the dayor the later part of the evening
when it's cooler.
A quick test you can do is toplace your hand on the cement or
the pavement.
(09:23):
Try to hold it there for fiveseconds if it's too hot for your
hand, it's too hot for yourdog's paws and you need to go
either earlier or later in theevening.
Once it's cooled down, andthat's it.
Summer offers endlessopportunities to create good
memories with your dog, so makesure you take them with you when
you can.
Whether it's cooled down, andthat's it.
Summer offers endlessopportunities to create good
memories with your dog, so makesure you take them with you when
you can.
Whether it's a hike or you'reout on a kayak or just a simple
game of fetch at the park, thekey is to ensure that your puppy
(09:45):
is safe, comfortable and you'reboth having fun.
You guys have a great week.
Happy training.
Thanks for tuning in to thepuppy training podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
Remember, with a littlepatience and consistency, you
can create a loving bond and awell-behaved pup who's a joy to
(10:06):
have in your family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review and share it withfellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visitBaxter and Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
Summer's coming up and it's time to get outdoors,
so what are some fun things thatyou can do with your dog this
summer?
Let's talk about it.
Welcome to the puppy trainingpodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter and Bella, the online
puppy school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
experience raising a puppy, fromtraining tips to practical
(00:22):
tricks, all aimed at fostering ahappy, well-behaved dog who
truly feels like part of thefamily.
So if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hello everybody, welcome to thepuppy training podcast.
I'm so glad you're here.
(00:43):
If you know somebody this summergetting a new puppy or a new
dog and they might need a littlehelp, send them our way.
This is what we do.
We specialize in helping youtrain your dog and I know having
a new puppy can be a lot.
It can be a little bitoverwhelming.
It can seem like there's amillion questions and we answer
all of them, so send them ourway if you know of somebody
(01:05):
getting a puppy Today.
I want to talk about summer.
I love summer and I'm soexcited to be wearing flip-flops
again and that the leaves areback and the grass is green.
When you live in Utah, where wehave four seasons, it's really
fun.
When that summer one rollsaround, it's nice to be able to
just walk outside without sevenlayers on, and all of those good
(01:25):
things.
Don't get me wrong, I do lovewinter too, but summer.
There's just something specialabout summer.
So let's talk about a few ideasthat you can do with your dog,
that you can bring them alongwith you.
My first idea is hiking.
I love to hike.
We have a lot of mountains herein Cache Valley, lots of trails
that we can go on.
It's a great way to get yourdog outside and to explore
together.
(01:45):
But there are a few things thatyou'll want to be aware of.
So, while it's a fantastic wayto bond with your dog and enjoy
nature, make sure, before youhit the trail, that you ensure
you are prepared.
We want to make sure that youbring a sturdy leash and a
harness.
I always travel with acollapsible water bowl and
plenty of fresh water to give mydog.
You'll want to consider also pawprotection.
So, depending on how rocky theterrain is, it can be really
(02:10):
tough on your dog's paws,especially if they don't get
outside on these surfaces a lot.
So I guess tip number one wouldbe to start with short hikes
and get them acclimated to that.
But then also you can use somepaw protection.
So putting on little dogbooties to protect against
either hot surfaces or roughterrain can prevent their paws
from cracking or bleeding.
And then I like to carry just alittle first aid kit with me.
(02:31):
So just a basic first aid kitincludes items for both me and
my dog just in case somethinghappens along the trail.
I do always keep my dog on aleash with wildlife out there.
We don't want our dogs chasingthem and we don't want them to
be chased.
So it'll be safer if you cankeep your dog on a leash with
you.
But definitely take them onhikes with you.
It's a great way to connect andto get outside.
(02:55):
Remember to check the trails,pet policies and be mindful of
your dog's fitness level.
Work them up to longer hikes,don't just start with a great
big long one.
Okay, next let's talk aboutwater.
Let's go kayaking right, paddleup with your pup.
So if your dog enjoys water,kayaking can be pretty fun.
Safety first Make sure thatyour dog is wearing a
well-fitted life jacket you aswell.
(03:16):
Acclimate them gradually soyour dog might not really enjoy
the water yet.
Maybe they have some interestin it but they've never been out
in it.
So we want to start slowly.
I like to do this just byletting my dog explore the kayak
on land before it's out in thewater.
Remember, when it's once it'sin the water, it's pretty
unstable, it's kind of wobbly.
When we want to make sure thatour dog feels comfortable with
(03:37):
the kayak itself before itstarts to wobble and be in the
water, so just put it, pull itout on your lawn, pull it out on
your grass, reward your dog forjumping on and off of it, for
sitting on it, laying down in itall of the things, so that when
you do take it out on the water, both of you are a little more
confident and then recognizecomfort matters.
So that can be pretty slipperyalso for your dog.
(03:59):
Make sure that you bring a mator something along that will
give your dog some traction onthat.
It'll help them feel moresecure and safe.
And then start with calm waters.
Lakes are great, just nicestill lakes that you can go out
and float, not a lot of crazy orchaos happening, but they get
to be out in the lake with youand enjoy being around without
chaos of rough water or otherthings that are going to make it
(04:22):
stressful for your dog.
So short trips to buildconfidence again, start on land,
then move it to the water, butkayaking can actually be
something that your dog mightreally love.
Another great summer activity isdog sports.
There's a lot of them out there, and you might have a local
club or training facility inyour area that highlights some
of these fun dog sports asclasses.
(04:43):
So enroll in one of them thatyou find interesting, and
definitely one that your dogwill find interesting, and I
think you'll have a lot of funtogether.
These can engage their mind andtheir body both at the same
time.
So summer is a perfect time fortrying out some new activities.
Here's a few ideas for you.
You might find that you have alocal agility training class.
You can also set up an agilitycourse in your backyard.
(05:04):
You can get on Amazon and ordersome tunnels and jumps.
You can build the jumps.
You can really get creativewith this, but you can find some
equipment and either, again, doit at a local class or you can
do this in your backyard.
Another idea would be scent work.
It's often classes local to youthat do scent work and teach
your dog how to find hiddentreats or toys, and it's a
(05:27):
really good time, especially ifyou have a dog who loves to
sniff.
If you're saying, amy, you knowwhat my dog's nose is always on
the ground, then get them intoscent work, stimulate their
natural sniffing instincts.
It'll be a great outlet forthem and you might find some
hidden talents.
Who knew right?
Maybe your dog's really reallygood at this and it becomes fun
for both of you.
(05:47):
Another idea, speaking ofinstincts and traits that
certain dogs have, is herdingand rally.
These are structured activitiesthat can enhance obedience and
provide mental stimulation foryour dogs.
If your dog has shepherd inthem, they are going to love the
herding aspect of it.
One way that you can alsoengage them in this is to get a
big, giant yoga ball.
Blow it up.
Let them push that around abackyard or a fenced in area and
(06:10):
watch them have a ball.
I know, see what I just didright there.
That's kind of funny.
I didn't mean to do thatactually, but it worked out.
So really try it.
Have them push a ball aroundyour backyard and I think
they'll really enjoy it.
Okay, something else that mydogs and I love to do is just
visit a park, have a socialouting.
You can even invite a friendand their dog to come along.
But I love to go on regularwalks in the park and I have a
(06:34):
park that's about a mile from myhouse, so I load the dogs up in
my car, we head to the park andthis is where they do go sniff
walks.
We get to explore, they get tocheck out every tree we pass,
and I also bring a long line anda harness and, if we want, we
can take some time to play someFrisbee or fetch in the big open
areas.
It's a great way to burn offenergy but also get them in a
(06:56):
new environment and the park youknow that's close to my house,
for example it's just quiet.
It's not crazy like a street ora sidewalk where you have cars
passing you.
I just like the peacefulserenity of being in a park and
your dog might enjoy that aswell.
Not only can you go and walkaround the park, you could also
find a bench, have your dogsettle and you can pull out a
(07:18):
book and read for a little bit.
It's a great relaxing summeractivity and your dog learns to
settle somewhere besides yourhouse.
Relaxing summer activity andyour dog learns to settle
somewhere besides your house.
Another idea for summer is ascenic drive and beach days if
you have a lake or an oceannearby.
So let's talk about road tripsfirst.
Some dogs love car rides.
Others are a little nervous inthe car.
So ensure that your dog issafely restrained and that you
(07:38):
take breaks for potty and water,and if your dog is nervous to
be in a car, let's work on thatfirst.
They might not necessarily lovea road trip if the car makes
them nervous, so we can help youwith that if needed.
But some dogs love car rides.
So load them up safely,obviously, restrain them and
then, yeah, to give themfrequent breaks to get out,
stretch their legs and get adrink of water.
Go to the bathroom If you dohave a beach nearby.
(08:01):
If you have access to dogfriendly beaches, let your pup
enjoy the sand and the surf.
Always supervise them whenswimming and provide fresh water
to prevent any saltwateringestion.
But these are great publicplaces that are often dog
friendly.
Do check with your local laws.
Make sure your dogs are leashedwhere it says they need to be
leashed and that you are onlyvisiting beaches that are, in
(08:22):
fact, dog friendly.
But hopefully we have thoselocations near us right that
we're able to take our dogs anduse these public places to enjoy
with both us and our dogs.
A lot of this, you guys,depends on us.
So here's your yearly reminderto clean up after your pet when
they go to the bathroom.
Please pick it up with a littledoggy bag and throw it away so
(08:42):
that these areas remain, or aremore likely to remain, dog
friendly.
All right, a few final reminders.
Number one is to stay cool andsafe.
Remember summer heat can bedangerous.
So first, hydrate, hydrate,hydrate.
Bring water.
Always have fresh wateravailable for your dog during
any of these activities thatyou're doing.
You can also buy some coolinggear so they make cooling vests
(09:02):
or mats to help regulate yourdog's temperature.
Avoid peak heat.
So, especially for walks,remember that sidewalks pavement
heats up really quickly.
So schedule activities wherethey will be on hotter surfaces
for the earlier part of the dayor the later part of the evening
when it's cooler.
A quick test you can do is toplace your hand on the cement or
the pavement.
(09:23):
Try to hold it there for fiveseconds if it's too hot for your
hand, it's too hot for yourdog's paws and you need to go
either earlier or later in theevening.
Once it's cooled down, andthat's it.
Summer offers endlessopportunities to create good
memories with your dog, so makesure you take them with you when
you can.
Whether it's cooled down, andthat's it.
Summer offers endlessopportunities to create good
memories with your dog, so makesure you take them with you when
you can.
Whether it's a hike or you'reout on a kayak or just a simple
game of fetch at the park, thekey is to ensure that your puppy
(09:45):
is safe, comfortable and you'reboth having fun.
You guys have a great week.
Happy training.
Thanks for tuning in to thepuppy training podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
Remember, with a littlepatience and consistency, you
can create a loving bond and awell-behaved pup who's a joy to
(10:06):
have in your family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review and share it withfellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visitBaxter and Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
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