November 6, 2025 • 10 mins
You’ve taught your dog not to pull — now it’s time to understand why leash manners matter. In this episode, Amy breaks down the emotional side of walking on leash and explains how different types of walks — go sniff walks, training walks, and purposeful exercise — meet different needs. Learn how to make every walk more meaningful, keep your dog calmer, and enjoy smoother, happier outings together.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Are you ready to take your dog's leashwalking to
the next level?
Today's episode is all aboutadvanced leashwalking.
Welcome to the Puppy TrainingPodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter and Fella, the online
puppy school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
experience raising a puppy.
(00:20):
From training tips to practicaltricks, all aimed at fostering a
happy, well-behaved dog whotruly feels like part of the
family.
So if you are ready to enjoy thejourney and strengthen the bond
with your dog, let's getstarted.
Welcome back to the podcast.
Thanks for listening.
(00:41):
Today we are talking about leashskills, and we want to go beyond
basics.
We want to go beyond just don'tpull.
So if you've listened to myearlier episodes on basic leash
walking, you already know how toteach your dog not to drag you
down the street.
But today we're diving deeperinto why leash manners matter,
what's really going onemotionally for your dog on
(01:02):
walks, and how different kindsof walks meet different needs.
Because here's the truth (01:06):
not every walk should look the same.
Some walks are about trainingand structure, others are about
exploring and decompression.
And when we learn to match thetype of walk to what our dog
needs, we see calmer, happierdogs who behave better, both on
and off the leash.
Let's start with what's reallyhappening for your dog
emotionally when they are onleash.
(01:28):
When dogs are out in the world,their senses are on high alert.
There's new smells, sights,sounds, people, and other dogs.
It's a lot of stimulation.
Being on leash limits how theycan respond to that stimulation,
and that can create somefrustration or tension.
Now, here's the key idea: arousal in our dogs isn't always (01:43):
undefined
bad.
It's simply energy or excitementin their bodies.
But when that arousal gets toohigh, maybe another dog barks
across the street or askateboard zips by, that
excitement can turn intopulling, barking, or even
lunging.
Now, your job on walks isn'tjust to keep the leash loose,
it's to help your dog stayemotionally balanced.
(02:06):
That means we're reading theirbody language and we're using
the right kind of walk for theright situation.
Next, let's talk about thedifferent types of walks and
what each one is for.
So let's talk about number onetraining walks.
These are your structured walks.
These are short sessions whenyou're practicing leash manners,
attention cues, and calm walkingskills.
Your dog's staying right by yourside and they're giving you
(02:28):
really good check-ins.
Think of it like a mini trainingclass in motion.
You might use food rewards, youmight reward check-ins, ask for
behaviors like a heel, sit,leave it, or look at me.
And the purpose is we'reteaching your dog how to walk
politely and stay focused onyou, no matter the distractions
that are happening around them.
Now, here's a tip (02:47):
we want to keep these walks short and
positive, maybe five to 10minutes, and then give them a
break to sniff.
Over time, your puppy will beable to do these for longer and
longer periods of time, but inthe beginning, keep them short,
give them a go sniff break.
You can even go back and forthbetween the two.
So that brings me to our nextkind of walk, and this is called
(03:07):
a go sniff walk.
So dogs experience the worldprimarily through scent.
A go sniff walk lets themexplore at their own pace,
investigating those invisibledog emails that are left behind
by others.
Now, the purpose of this type ofwalk is mental enrichment and
fulfillment.
I like to use a longer line or alonger leash, if it's safe in
(03:28):
your area, and I clip it to theback of my dog's harness, and
then I say, go sniff, and I letthem choose the path.
You still have to follow therule of no not following a
pulling puppy, okay?
So if your puppy's pulling, youcannot follow them.
But that longer line is going togive you a little more leeway
and give your dog a little morefreedom to go sniff where they
want to sniff.
(03:48):
But you just still have to setthat boundary of these are my
parameters.
You're still on a leash.
If you get to the end of thatline, I'm not following the
pulling, okay?
That's important.
But your dog's going to lovethis kind of walk.
They get to explore and smelland sniff.
It's all of the things theylove.
Okay.
So here's the magic (04:06):
a good sniff session can be just as
tiring, sometimes more, than along run, right?
It lowers their stress hormonesand helps dogs decompress
naturally.
So allow your dog to sniff.
I love go sniff walks and mydogs love them too.
And you can do a little bit ofboth the training walk and the
(04:27):
go sniff walk together, as Imentioned, but the go sniff part
is your dog's mental healthwalk.
Okay?
It's where it reduces theirstress and emotional tension and
they just get to be a dog, whichis really rewarding to them.
And if your dog struggles withreactivity or anxiety, these
kind of decompression walks area must.
(04:49):
They allow your dog's nervoussystem to reset, something
structured walks alone can'tprovide.
Okay, so that's all well andgood.
But what about your dog whenthey have pent-up energy?
What kind of walk do we do then?
So if your dog has a lot ofbuilt-up energy, they need to
move and get that energy out.
So maybe this is a brisk walk,like a faster-paced walk.
Maybe it's a jog, maybe it'sjust a simple game of fetch or
(05:12):
frisbee in your backyard.
Or maybe if you're at the park,put a harness and a long line on
your dog and let them chase atoy, right?
So they're getting that energyout and they're getting a little
bit of run in.
Now, this is important to letyour puppy dictate this.
This is not us making themexercise.
This is my puppy wants to runand they need to get some energy
out.
So I'm going to let them in aplay sort of way.
(05:34):
Okay.
So this is more of a physicaloutlet for energy and stamina.
And like I mentioned, it doesn'talways have to be on leash.
It can be in your backyard.
It can be in a hallway.
It can be, you know, justsomewhere where you have an open
space and you can just toss toysfor your dog to get that energy
out.
Um, if you want, yeah,absolutely.
Put the leash on and go for thatfaster-paced walk or a slight
(05:54):
jog if your dog's wanting to dothat.
Okay.
It's important that we let ourpuppies grow and mature before
we're taking them on long runs.
So talk to your veterinarian andfigure out the best timeline to
do that with your dog.
But there will be times thatyour dog needs a physical outlet
because they have all of thatenergy, right?
So schedule times when your dogcan get their energy out.
(06:15):
Um, and remember that physicalexercise alone is not going to
solve behavior issues.
So sometimes clients will calland say, I think I just need to
exercise them more.
And I said, Actually, it'susually opposite.
You probably need to rest themmore or give them more naps and
you'll see better behavior.
Um, but physical exercise isimportant.
It just has to be balanced withmental and emotional work.
(06:35):
Training is fabulous for this.
Um, also the go sniff walks andtraining walks help with
actually change behavior better.
Okay, so let's talk about mixingand matching walks depending on
our dog's needs.
Like, how do we put this alltogether?
Now, the best walking routine,in my opinion, is a mix of all
the leash walks.
So, matching this to our dog'spersonality, age, and energy
(06:58):
level.
Here's an example for a typicalweek.
Maybe in the morning, I take mydog out on a short training
walk.
We practice focus before the daystarts.
I reward them when they check inwith me.
Maybe in the middle of the day,we do a quick uh sniff walk in
the yard or the neighborhood andI let my dog explore and
decompress, right?
And in the evening, maybe weneed to get some energy out
(07:19):
again after dinner time.
We go out and toss a frisbee ora throw-up ball, and then we end
with a nice go sniff walk, whichwill do some decompression for
my dog.
For young puppies in training,we want to focus more on the go
sniff walks when we're out andabout.
Their brains are stilldeveloping, and too much
structure or stimulation canlead to burnout or frustration
(07:40):
or even reactivity.
So we want to make sure that weare doing the leash walking at
an appropriate rate for ourdog's learning.
When they're young and small,we're doing it inside our home
with minimal distractions.
We're working on that focus andattention in increasingly more
difficult environments.
Um, and then when we do want togo out into the world and go for
(08:01):
a walk, letting them sniff anddecompress is super helpful
because they're doing a lot oftraining already throughout the
day.
As our dogs grow and mature,they'll be able to handle more
of a structured walk for longerperiods of time.
When we meet our dogs' needs forboth movement and mental
satisfaction, we see bigchanges.
We see less leash frustration,we see fewer outbursts or
(08:24):
pulling, we see more focus andrelaxation at home as well.
Now, as you vary your walksintentionally, you'll start to
notice patterns.
Maybe your dog's leash mannersimprove after a decompression
walk, or they focus better ontraining walks after sniffing
for a few minutes.
That's your training insight.
We want to balance structurewith freedom to go sniff.
(08:45):
If this topic has you excited tokeep improving your walks, I'd
love to invite you to ouradvanced leash walking class.
It's going to be taught live viaZoom this Saturday.
This class is included for allour members, and you can find
the details, including how tojoin, on our website under
classes and courses in ourmembers' area.
This is going to be a fun,interactive way to strengthen
your connection and take yourwalks from just okay to truly
(09:07):
enjoyable for both you and yourdog.
So to sum it up, leash skillsare about more than control.
They are about emotionalbalance.
Different walks serve differentpurposes: training, sniffing,
decompressing, or exercise,right?
Now, the right mix helps yourdog feel calm, connected, and
content.
So next time you grab the leash,ask yourself, what kind of walk
(09:29):
does my dog need right now?
That question alone cantransform your daily routine.
Thanks for listening, you guys.
I hope you 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 little patienceand consistency, you can create
(09:51):
a loving bond and a well-behavedpup who's a joy to have in your
family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review, and share itwith fellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visit Baxterand Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
Are you ready to take your dog's leashwalking to
the next level?
Today's episode is all aboutadvanced leashwalking.
Welcome to the Puppy TrainingPodcast.
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter and Fella, the online
puppy school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
experience raising a puppy.
(00:20):
From training tips to practicaltricks, all aimed at fostering a
happy, well-behaved dog whotruly feels like part of the
family.
So if you are ready to enjoy thejourney and strengthen the bond
with your dog, let's getstarted.
Welcome back to the podcast.
Thanks for listening.
(00:41):
Today we are talking about leashskills, and we want to go beyond
basics.
We want to go beyond just don'tpull.
So if you've listened to myearlier episodes on basic leash
walking, you already know how toteach your dog not to drag you
down the street.
But today we're diving deeperinto why leash manners matter,
what's really going onemotionally for your dog on
(01:02):
walks, and how different kindsof walks meet different needs.
Because here's the truth (01:06):
not every walk should look the same.
Some walks are about trainingand structure, others are about
exploring and decompression.
And when we learn to match thetype of walk to what our dog
needs, we see calmer, happierdogs who behave better, both on
and off the leash.
Let's start with what's reallyhappening for your dog
emotionally when they are onleash.
(01:28):
When dogs are out in the world,their senses are on high alert.
There's new smells, sights,sounds, people, and other dogs.
It's a lot of stimulation.
Being on leash limits how theycan respond to that stimulation,
and that can create somefrustration or tension.
Now, here's the key idea: arousal in our dogs isn't always (01:43):
undefined
bad.
It's simply energy or excitementin their bodies.
But when that arousal gets toohigh, maybe another dog barks
across the street or askateboard zips by, that
excitement can turn intopulling, barking, or even
lunging.
Now, your job on walks isn'tjust to keep the leash loose,
it's to help your dog stayemotionally balanced.
(02:06):
That means we're reading theirbody language and we're using
the right kind of walk for theright situation.
Next, let's talk about thedifferent types of walks and
what each one is for.
So let's talk about number onetraining walks.
These are your structured walks.
These are short sessions whenyou're practicing leash manners,
attention cues, and calm walkingskills.
Your dog's staying right by yourside and they're giving you
(02:28):
really good check-ins.
Think of it like a mini trainingclass in motion.
You might use food rewards, youmight reward check-ins, ask for
behaviors like a heel, sit,leave it, or look at me.
And the purpose is we'reteaching your dog how to walk
politely and stay focused onyou, no matter the distractions
that are happening around them.
Now, here's a tip (02:47):
we want to keep these walks short and
positive, maybe five to 10minutes, and then give them a
break to sniff.
Over time, your puppy will beable to do these for longer and
longer periods of time, but inthe beginning, keep them short,
give them a go sniff break.
You can even go back and forthbetween the two.
So that brings me to our nextkind of walk, and this is called
(03:07):
a go sniff walk.
So dogs experience the worldprimarily through scent.
A go sniff walk lets themexplore at their own pace,
investigating those invisibledog emails that are left behind
by others.
Now, the purpose of this type ofwalk is mental enrichment and
fulfillment.
I like to use a longer line or alonger leash, if it's safe in
(03:28):
your area, and I clip it to theback of my dog's harness, and
then I say, go sniff, and I letthem choose the path.
You still have to follow therule of no not following a
pulling puppy, okay?
So if your puppy's pulling, youcannot follow them.
But that longer line is going togive you a little more leeway
and give your dog a little morefreedom to go sniff where they
want to sniff.
(03:48):
But you just still have to setthat boundary of these are my
parameters.
You're still on a leash.
If you get to the end of thatline, I'm not following the
pulling, okay?
That's important.
But your dog's going to lovethis kind of walk.
They get to explore and smelland sniff.
It's all of the things theylove.
Okay.
So here's the magic (04:06):
a good sniff session can be just as
tiring, sometimes more, than along run, right?
It lowers their stress hormonesand helps dogs decompress
naturally.
So allow your dog to sniff.
I love go sniff walks and mydogs love them too.
And you can do a little bit ofboth the training walk and the
(04:27):
go sniff walk together, as Imentioned, but the go sniff part
is your dog's mental healthwalk.
Okay?
It's where it reduces theirstress and emotional tension and
they just get to be a dog, whichis really rewarding to them.
And if your dog struggles withreactivity or anxiety, these
kind of decompression walks area must.
(04:49):
They allow your dog's nervoussystem to reset, something
structured walks alone can'tprovide.
Okay, so that's all well andgood.
But what about your dog whenthey have pent-up energy?
What kind of walk do we do then?
So if your dog has a lot ofbuilt-up energy, they need to
move and get that energy out.
So maybe this is a brisk walk,like a faster-paced walk.
Maybe it's a jog, maybe it'sjust a simple game of fetch or
(05:12):
frisbee in your backyard.
Or maybe if you're at the park,put a harness and a long line on
your dog and let them chase atoy, right?
So they're getting that energyout and they're getting a little
bit of run in.
Now, this is important to letyour puppy dictate this.
This is not us making themexercise.
This is my puppy wants to runand they need to get some energy
out.
So I'm going to let them in aplay sort of way.
(05:34):
Okay.
So this is more of a physicaloutlet for energy and stamina.
And like I mentioned, it doesn'talways have to be on leash.
It can be in your backyard.
It can be in a hallway.
It can be, you know, justsomewhere where you have an open
space and you can just toss toysfor your dog to get that energy
out.
Um, if you want, yeah,absolutely.
Put the leash on and go for thatfaster-paced walk or a slight
(05:54):
jog if your dog's wanting to dothat.
Okay.
It's important that we let ourpuppies grow and mature before
we're taking them on long runs.
So talk to your veterinarian andfigure out the best timeline to
do that with your dog.
But there will be times thatyour dog needs a physical outlet
because they have all of thatenergy, right?
So schedule times when your dogcan get their energy out.
(06:15):
Um, and remember that physicalexercise alone is not going to
solve behavior issues.
So sometimes clients will calland say, I think I just need to
exercise them more.
And I said, Actually, it'susually opposite.
You probably need to rest themmore or give them more naps and
you'll see better behavior.
Um, but physical exercise isimportant.
It just has to be balanced withmental and emotional work.
(06:35):
Training is fabulous for this.
Um, also the go sniff walks andtraining walks help with
actually change behavior better.
Okay, so let's talk about mixingand matching walks depending on
our dog's needs.
Like, how do we put this alltogether?
Now, the best walking routine,in my opinion, is a mix of all
the leash walks.
So, matching this to our dog'spersonality, age, and energy
(06:58):
level.
Here's an example for a typicalweek.
Maybe in the morning, I take mydog out on a short training
walk.
We practice focus before the daystarts.
I reward them when they check inwith me.
Maybe in the middle of the day,we do a quick uh sniff walk in
the yard or the neighborhood andI let my dog explore and
decompress, right?
And in the evening, maybe weneed to get some energy out
(07:19):
again after dinner time.
We go out and toss a frisbee ora throw-up ball, and then we end
with a nice go sniff walk, whichwill do some decompression for
my dog.
For young puppies in training,we want to focus more on the go
sniff walks when we're out andabout.
Their brains are stilldeveloping, and too much
structure or stimulation canlead to burnout or frustration
(07:40):
or even reactivity.
So we want to make sure that weare doing the leash walking at
an appropriate rate for ourdog's learning.
When they're young and small,we're doing it inside our home
with minimal distractions.
We're working on that focus andattention in increasingly more
difficult environments.
Um, and then when we do want togo out into the world and go for
(08:01):
a walk, letting them sniff anddecompress is super helpful
because they're doing a lot oftraining already throughout the
day.
As our dogs grow and mature,they'll be able to handle more
of a structured walk for longerperiods of time.
When we meet our dogs' needs forboth movement and mental
satisfaction, we see bigchanges.
We see less leash frustration,we see fewer outbursts or
(08:24):
pulling, we see more focus andrelaxation at home as well.
Now, as you vary your walksintentionally, you'll start to
notice patterns.
Maybe your dog's leash mannersimprove after a decompression
walk, or they focus better ontraining walks after sniffing
for a few minutes.
That's your training insight.
We want to balance structurewith freedom to go sniff.
(08:45):
If this topic has you excited tokeep improving your walks, I'd
love to invite you to ouradvanced leash walking class.
It's going to be taught live viaZoom this Saturday.
This class is included for allour members, and you can find
the details, including how tojoin, on our website under
classes and courses in ourmembers' area.
This is going to be a fun,interactive way to strengthen
your connection and take yourwalks from just okay to truly
(09:07):
enjoyable for both you and yourdog.
So to sum it up, leash skillsare about more than control.
They are about emotionalbalance.
Different walks serve differentpurposes: training, sniffing,
decompressing, or exercise,right?
Now, the right mix helps yourdog feel calm, connected, and
content.
So next time you grab the leash,ask yourself, what kind of walk
(09:29):
does my dog need right now?
That question alone cantransform your daily routine.
Thanks for listening, you guys.
I hope you 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 little patienceand consistency, you can create
(09:51):
a loving bond and a well-behavedpup who's a joy to have in your
family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review, and share itwith fellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visit Baxterand Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
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