Some of the best training sessions I have done have been on walks where I have asked for no commands at all. This comes as a huge surprise to dog owners who are used to traditional obedience of asking your dog to heel for your whole walk in an effort to curb pulling, reactivity, and “keep their dog in check”. What follows is a constant battle for control and a fun walk turns in to work for both the owner and the dog. Don’t get me wrong. There is a time and place for obedience walks as well which I cover in my Perfect Obedience Walk Guide, but commands will come much easier if you prioritize your dog’s natural needs first. Here are some simple steps to guide you on your way to a relaxing decompression walk:

1.  Use comfortable walking gear. I am a balanced trainer. I advocate for the use of ecollars, prongs, gentle leaders and more. Especially if it helps the owner and the dog enjoy more freedom and fun. But a decompression walk is NOT an obedience walk. I compare this to when I come home from work, I want to take off my shoes and put on my sweatpants because I am not planning on working for the rest of the day. My go-to tool for decompression walks is a harness or a martingale collar.
2.  Use at least a 10 foot leash. Remember the goal here is not to keep your dog right next to you in a heel. This is your chance to have zero conflict with your dog and just let them express their natural desires to sniff and explore. Bonus points for rewarding your dog every time they naturally return to interact with you!
3.  Use the walk sandwich. Even seeing the leash can get our dogs hyper, or for leash reactive dogs, anxious. Put your leash on and then go immediately into  decompression activity on place command for about ten minutes to bring back down their emotional state. This is also great to do at the end of the walk to help transition back into the house calmly. 
4.  Pick a low traffic route. Reactive dog owners especially should be focused on avoiding triggering events and returning fun and safety to their walks. If your neighborhood walk is full of triggers, consider packing up and visiting a new park together. 
5.  Do sniffing activities! I always bring along treats to crumble up and toss in the grass. My training dogs go on the hunt and do what I call “seretonin sniffies”. This natural search for the goodies in the grass releases those happy hormones and is a big contributor to “decompression.” Take your time and the more sniffs, the better!
6.  Bring along a fun activity or practice trick training. Is your pup just not feeling the sniffs today? Maybe try something a little more interactive by bringing along your tug toy or practicing some impromptu tick training or parkour at the park. The important thing is it is purely fun and no work. 

Tries these steps out and start building your decompression walk so you can have a more balanced life with your dog!