Troubleshooting Decompression Walks
Enjoying a peaceful slice of nature with your dog is one of those quintessential “ah yes, this is why I wanted a dog!” experiences for so many pet parents. Whether you have access to sprawling wilderness or a few patches of grass, there are so many benefits to allowing your dog the freedom to move their bodies and sniff with more freedom than a 6 foot leash provides. Even though there is tremendous value in decompression walks, behavior is a study of one so of course there is lots of room for error. Let’s go through some of the most common challenges and some possible solutions for a successful decompression walk.
Tangling
One thing that is often overlooked is the mechanical skill involved in handling a long line safely. While we love switching to a 10, 15, 20, or even 30 foot leash for decompression walks, there is a bit of a learning curve managing that extra material (especially when it’s attached to a dog joyously zig-zagging through the brush.)
Keep the line off ground as you follow your dog. You can feed out extra line as they move ahead, and collect the slack as needed to prevent the line from dragging and getting caught on things in the environment.
Try to use a non-restrictive back clip harness to prevent tangling around the legs. If you are using the front-clip attachment, feed the line through a carabiner on the back ring of the harness to keep it out from under their legs.
Practice in easier areas such as manicured lawns, parking lots, beaches, etc.
Start off with a shorter line (10 ft), and gradually work up to longer lines as you feel more confident.
Ropeburn and other Injury
While having a dog on a long line rather than totally off-leash can provide an extra safety net in many ways, there is some inherent risk in the long line itself. Rope burns, breaks and sprains, and tripping are all hazards that should be taken seriously!
Practice longline handling with and without your dog. Check out the Bat Leash Skills for more hands-on guidance.
Work on skills with your dog before you need them. Asking for attention or redirecting their movement with a hand touch can be extremely valuable.
Wear protective gear when using long lines including pants, shoes or boots that cover your ankles, and even gloves.
Choose the right longline material for you, your dog, and your environment. Nylon lines tend to become tangled and cause rope burn the most easily. Biothane lines minimize those two issues, but can become very slippery and difficult to handle in wet or muddy environments.
Dog is too focused on you
Generally it’s a wonderful thing that your dog finds engaging with you valuable and rewarding! If your dog has a heavy training history, they may default to behaviors you’ve worked on together like offering attention. Since our goal with a decompression walk is to let the dog experience their environment and explore, we may need to find ways to encourage our dogs to disengage from us.
Assess your dog’s comfort in the new environment first! Some dogs will stick to their people when they are feeling uncomfortable or uncertain. When in doubt, check in with a qualified professional trainer for guidance.
Offer scatters of food on the ground to kick off sniffing, exploring, and foraging. You can also scatter a trail of goodies before you unload your pup to prevent them from seeing you scatter so they can discover it on their own!
Keep moving forward. Stopping to talk to or engage with your dog may convince them that this is in fact a training session or playtime.
Experiment with different locations. Some dogs have an easier time moving forward or exploring on a trail with a specific direction to go rather than a big open lot. Some will feel entirely the opposite. Try out a few different types of environment and take note of what is and isn’t working.
If your dog enjoys the company of other dogs, bring a hiking buddy who may help model the behaviors of exploring, sniffing, rolling in things, etc.
Pulling, zoomies, and other over-the-top behaviors
It’s fabulous to have a dog who is enjoying themselves on a decompression walk, but that joy can feel one-sided if it involves taking off into a field and dragging you down with them. Luckily, there are ways we can onboard skills and slow their roll for everyone’s safety.
Once again, assess your dog’s comfort! Zoomies and other high-arousal behavior can sometimes be a sign of stress.
Dole out the leash slowly, or start with a shorter line altogether. If you can safely and legally do so, you can have them drag a line instead or opt to have them totally off-leash in designated areas.
For dogs who are pulling consistently, audition the use of a slightly longer line. Having a few extra feet can allow dogs to move ahead to interesting spots without dragging you.
Practice long line skills in enclosed spaces where you can drop line for safety.
Experiment with location. We have found many dogs are much more likely to “zoom” in an open empty field than a quiet trail.
Dogs who eat things or have potential to bite
Decompression walks are one of our favorite enrichment activities for many of our behavior modification cases. Dogs who have a tendency to find and consume hazardous materials, or who have a history of using their teeth on people or dogs have every right to decompress, too. They just need a few extra considerations!
Muzzle training! A well-fitted basket muzzle can act as a safety net. (Keep your eyes peeled for our self-paced muzzle training course, coming soon!)
Try walking in well-manicured areas that have good visibility so you can scan for hazards on the ground or triggers up ahead.
Sometimes we need to get creative and walk in some unconventional spots including cemeteries, abandoned parking lots, lesser-known parks & trails, Sniffspot!
There is so much value in decompression activities and time spent in nature, for us and our dogs. Even when things go sideways, we believe it is well worth working through issues that come up along the way. If you have any questions or would like to set up training for you and your dog, send us a contact form! For those of you in rattlesnake territory, check out or Living with Rattlesnakes webinar for safety and training tips. Happy training!