Hat Creek Dog Training

11/25/2024

10/27/2024

Perfect day for a pack walk!

09/20/2022

Pack walk!

08/14/2022

Pack Walk

08/14/2022

Pack Walk!

08/14/2022

GRC event with Wasatch Front GRC Club. Great progress by these awesome teams.

02/20/2022

Pack walk!

07/18/2021

Cooper is almost a year!

07/18/2021

Client dogs out on walk with owner. It used to be chaos. So proud of the work she has put in.

07/17/2021

Lefty.

05/16/2021

Pack walk!

Harrison, aka Wyatt from our Earp foster pups joined us with his new baby human sister! It has been four years and he still remembers his foster momma.

05/12/2021

Lefty wins most photogenic dog.

02/12/2021

The walk is fundamental! Love this post.

Walking. One of our most basic, primal forms of movement; yet, one of our most deprived (especially here in America).

But why is "The Walk" SO important?? Why are trainers SO insistent about doing this with your dog??

The Walk.

Now, there is a difference between a "structured" and an "unstructured" walk; and a place for both. But since most of us share spaces with others, the structured walk becomes quite important.

"The Walk" isn't just about taking dogs out to relieve themselves and sniff around (this is what we would consider to be an "unstructured walk", and - again- there's a place for this, too). It's far more. Walking (with) the dog...

: keeps them in motion, strengthens the body and its systems, can help to keep them (and us!) at a healthy weight, and is an outlet to expend physical energy (energy in and energy out maintains the natural balance of things),

: provides them with the opportunity to explore the world around them and expand their horizons beyond the house, their daily "same ol', same ol'", and beyond the backyard (most dogs here in America live such "small" lives where much is absent),

: reduces intensity levels of behavioral issues (usually created through frustration, *boredom*, anxiety, insecurity, etc. that develops from one or more of their needs not being provided for),

: provides an opportunity to (re)define *relationship* (trust and respect), and raise our level of relevance in the mind and in the eyes of the dog (...but can also lower it),

: provides an opportunity to teach, maintain, and reinforce structure, rules, and boundaries (especially when sharing public, social, personal, and intimate space),

: provides countless opportunities to teach and train in various degrees,

: when approached from a more proactive standpoint, it also provides countless opportunities to build confidence (in both ends of the leash), practice responding vs. reacting, emotional control in us, impulse control in the dog, association development and redefining, and learning how to navigate the world together. How we move through and handle the "real world", and how we deal with both the expected and the unexpected, all matters greatly when it comes to the perception we build in our dogs..... the perception they have about us, our capabilities, their level of security, and how safe the world is around them (especially when they're out and about *with us*, and if we're steering the ship. Every ship needs a captain; and if we're not the one at the helm, well....)

All too often folks are replacing this incredibly important ingredient in the human-dog relationship with having a backyard or a trip to the dog park; none of which speaks to, builds, and represents what "the walk" speaks to, builds, and represents.

There's a lot of information we can garner from simply watching someone on a walk with their dog. It's reflective of the nature of the relationship they have, the level of understanding the human has of the dog, what life is like inside the home, and more.

There are many excuses and reasons we hear as to why folks aren't walking their dogs: not having enough time, laziness, not having control of the dog, active behavioral issues, getting dragged around, embarrassment, fear, stress, the yard is more convenient, etc. Whatever the reason, we're doing our dogs (and our quality of life with them) a great disservice by not standing up and getting a handle on things so we can meet this need confidently, safely, and joyfully.

If you're struggling with the walk, *no matter where your location*, we can help you with this! The Walk is such an important part of a dog's mental, emotional, and physical well being (as well as our own), and one that should never be absent from our daily lives with them.

www.packfit.net

01/25/2021

Kona.

01/17/2021

Cooper’s growing up!

We are now moving into teenager territory. We also have human baby on the way.

Cooper also has decided that his go to picture pose is his adorable down.