c/daily-dog-walks

Found out yesterday that dogs can get sunburned on their noses and I never once thought about it in 8 years of walks

Tried early morning walks instead of evening ones for a full month

My golden retriever was always pulling like crazy at 6pm, but switching to 6am walks completely changed his behavior. He's way more relaxed and actually minds his leash manners now. Has anyone else seen a big shift just by changing the time of day?

Switched from a harness to a gentle leader collar and it's night and day

I always thought those head collars looked ridiculous (like a horse getup on a dog) but my 70lb lab mix was pulling my arm off every walk. My trainer at PetSmart in Columbus finally convinced me to try it after 6 months of struggling. First walk with the gentle leader he walked loose leash the whole time no pulling at all. Has anyone else had this kind of turnaround with a head collar or am I just lucky?

My neighbor swore retractable leashes were fine. One bad tangle later I tossed mine.

The neighbor who swore his method would fix my dog's pulling

Old Mr. Chen from three doors down told me to just yank the leash hard whenever my Golden Retriever pulls. Said he trained 5 dogs that way. First walk with his method my dog pulled so hard I faceplanted into a pile of wet leaves on Maple Street. Has anyone else had a supposedly simple training tip backfire this bad?

The day I chose the old dirt trail over the new paved path

I always take my dog, Rusty, on this one loop near the river... but last month they added this smooth, wide paved path that everyone's raving about. I stuck with the old dirt trail though, even after Rusty pulled toward the new one. By the end, his paws were caked in mud and I had to pick burrs out of his tail for fifteen minutes... but he was happier rolling in that dust than he ever is on concrete. Has anyone else stuck with a beat-up old walking spot even when a nicer option showed up?

Pro tip: overheard a vet tech say something scary about retractable leashes

I was at the pet store and heard a vet tech telling someone she sees 3-4 dogs a month with neck injuries from those retractable leashes. She said the thin cord can slice right through skin if it gets wrapped around a leg. I switched to a standard 6-foot leash the next day, anyone else ditch theirs?

That guy at the dog park who swore by 'just let them sniff everything'

So there's this older guy, Frank, who's always at the park with his golden retriever. He told me I was ruining my walks by yanking my dog away from every bush and fire hydrant. I laughed it off for like 6 months because my beagle would sniff for 10 minutes on one spot and I got impatient. Finally tried it his way last Tuesday during a 45 minute walk. I let her sniff until she was ready to move and honestly she pulled way less and seemed way more relaxed. We covered the same loop but it took 20 minutes longer and she didn't try to bolt after a single squirrel. Anyone else have someone's advice they ignored way too long?

Nearly lost my dog because of a loose collar buckle

I switched to a fancy quick-release collar last month and on yesterday's walk the buckle popped open when my lab lunged after a squirrel. Took me 25 minutes of running through a rainstorm to catch him behind the old water tower. Has anyone else had those quick-release buckles fail on them?

That bag of freeze-dried liver treats almost killed my dog last Saturday

I got a new bag from the pet store in Oak Park and didn't check the seal - it was torn and the treats had gone moldy. Has anyone else had packaging issues with those bulk bins at Pet Supplies Plus?

Took me 6 days to figure out why my dog kept pulling on one specific trail

I walk my border collie on the same wooded path every morning near my house in Austin. Last Tuesday she started lunging and barking at a spot that never bothered her before. I spent 4 whole days checking for snakes, loose boards, even poison ivy. Turns out there was a tiny ground wasp nest under a fallen log that she could smell but I couldn't see. It took calling a pest guy to confirm it and then waiting 2 days for them to remove it. Has anyone else dealt with a hidden pest making their dog act weird on a regular walk?

That $40 rain coat for my dog was a complete waste of money

Bought one of those fancy waterproof coats from a pet store downtown and it ripped on a bush within 10 minutes of our first walk. Has anyone found a rain coat that actually holds up to a dog who loves to dive into the brush?

Tried a new poop bag holder that clips to the leash loop... ended up swinging around and smacking me in the face every time my dog lunged after a squirrel

Found out my dog walks 5x farther than I do on our morning route

I strapped a tracker to my golden retriever last week and realized he covers 6 miles while I only walk 3. He's darting back and forth sniffing every bush and fire hydrant. Has anyone else mapped their dog's actual distance?

Switched from a flexi leash to a 6-foot standard and wow what a difference

I always thought my dog needed the freedom to roam on walks but after she wrapped around three trees in one park visit I gave up. The control I have now makes walks so much calmer for both of us. Has anyone else made the switch and stuck with it?

That $50 retractable leash I bought from PetSmart lasted 3 walks before the cord snapped

Idk if it was just mine but the plastic housing cracked on day 2 and then the cord frayed and broke on day 3 when my 60lb lab lunged after a squirrel. Has anyone else had better luck with those heavy duty nylon leashes instead?

TIL my dog walks about 5 miles more than I do on every single walk!

I was reading that article from the AKC website while waiting for my shift to start last night. Turns out for every mile I walk, my golden retriever is running back and forth sniffing stuff and zigzagging, so she covers almost 3 miles. Makes sense why she's always passed out on the couch before I even get my shoes off! Has anyone else looked up how much extra ground their dog actually covers?

Tried two different walking routes for a month and one was WAY better for my dog

So for the last 4 weeks I've been testing two routes near my place in Austin. Route A goes through a quiet neighborhood with lots of trees and Route B goes along a busy main road with sidewalks. I thought my dog would like the main road more because there's more smells and people, but she was actually way MORE stressed on Route B. She kept pulling, panting hard, and even refused to walk past a construction site one day. Switch back to Route A and she's relaxed, sniffing everything, tail wagging the whole time. Has anyone else noticed their dog picks up on certain environments way more than they expected?

Finally stopped using retractable leashes after a guy at the dog park in Tulsa showed me his scar

Took me 90 minutes to untangle my dog from a single bush yesterday

My golden retriever Tank found this one bush in the park that had like 20 strands of some vine wrapped around his legs and collar, and every time I pulled one loose he'd spin around and make it worse. By the time I got him free I was sweating and covered in leaves, and he just looked at me like I was the idiot. Has anyone else had a dog find the ONE bush that turns a 30 minute walk into a whole afternoon project?

Had to pick between a short cut through the woods or the long way around the pond this morning

My dog Daisy was pulling me toward the woods like she knew something was up. I picked the woods because it was 6am and I was half asleep. Turned out there was a whole family of skunks having a little meeting right on the path lol. Daisy froze, I froze, we backed away real slow and took the pond route anyway. Has anyone else's dog ever led you straight into a wild animal standoff?

The day my dog decided the mud puddle was a five star spa

Last Thursday, I took my golden retriever Bella to the usual trail behind the elementary school. It had rained the night before but I figured the path was fine. Wrong. She spotted this one puddle that must have been like 4 feet across and just launched herself into it like a dolphin. Rolling around, digging, splashing everything. She was so happy. Then she came running back to me and did the full body shake, covering me in mud from head to toe. I had a meeting at 10 and had to drive home and change. The whole car smelled like wet dog for two days. Has anyone else had a walk go completely sideways because of a surprise puddle?

Random lady at the park told me to stop yanking the leash when my dog pulls

She said I was just making him more excited and to just stand still like a tree instead. Tried it the next walk and he actually calmed down after like 30 seconds lol. Anyone else get random advice from strangers that actually works?

Found a shredded leash in the park near Pine Hills yesterday

My dog spotted a rabbit right as I was reaching for my phone, and before I could grab the leash properly she bolted and it snapped at the clip, so now I always double-check for any cracks in the metal before we even leave the driveway, anyone else had a leash fail on them?

Had to carry my 60 lb lab through a muddy creek when he refused to move

We were on the trail behind the old mill off Maple Ave, about a mile in. There's this little creek crossing we've done a hundred times, no big deal. But this time the water was higher than usual from the rain the night before. My dog Cooper just stopped at the edge, sat down, and wouldn't budge. I tried treats, I tried coaxing, nothing. Eventually I had to scoop him up and wade in myself. Water came up past my knees, got my boots soaked, and Cooper just hung there like a sack of potatoes. By the time we got across I was shivering and muddy. Has anyone else's dog just nope out on a normally easy crossing?