Walking with a Buddy!

Two common concerns I hear from puppy raisers are that they don’t have a fenced area to have play dates with other pups and their pups are very distracted at class because they are not allowed to play despite being right there with their friends. So what’s a raiser to do to help socialize their pup to other dogs? I really enjoy doing “buddy walks” with another dog when I don’t have access to allow the dogs to play off leash. This allows the dogs to check each other out and say “hello” from a distance, but keeps them moving and on a task.

A “buddy walk” is simply when two or more pups and handlers walk together. Below is a video of two handlers and dogs doing a buddy walk. There are some Dos & Don’ts for buddy walking, though.

• DO start the walk by having some distance between you and the other dog. This could be each team on opposite sides of the road (or opposite sidewalks). If you have many raiser/dog teams, you may want to split up into smaller groups or pairs until the dogs start to settle in and the dogs are able to walk more closely.
• DON’T start out directly beside each other, as it will be difficult to walk if the dogs are extremely distracted by each other in that close proximity.
• DO use treat rewards once the dog is relaxed and staying by your left side.
• DON’T worry about how bad the walking might look in the beginning. It will get better as time goes on and the dogs settle into the walk! Just keep walking and don’t make too many stops.
• DO walk with other dogs in addition to Southeastern puppies. If you have a neighbor who would like to join you on a regular walks with their dog, its very beneficial for your pup to get used to being around dogs they don’t see at class and breeds other than Labs and Goldens.
• DON’T allow your dogs to cross in front of you and greet each other while walking. You might need to keep your leash extra short, especially in the beginning. The point of this exercise is to just learn to be in the same space together; not to greet each other on leash.
• DO plan on your walks being 30 minutes or more. This allows the pups to truly settle into walking together, which will lead to ending on a positive note.
• DON’T get discouraged if it doesn’t go exactly as you planned. Remember to practice this often and you will find your dog settling into the routine more quickly.
• DO these buddy walks at least 2-3 times a week to see real results. If you only do this once a month, your dog will not generalize as quickly that it should be settled when walking with other dogs.
• DON’T focus on only walking very close to each other. Consider it a “success” if you were able to have the pups walk calmly, even if it was from a distance. Maybe next time your pups will be settle more quickly and be able to move closer!
• DO use people without dogs in between the handler/dog teams. This provides a buffer if the dogs are very distracted by each other. As the walk progresses, the people without dogs can move to the outside of the group and allow the dogs to eventually get closer.

In the video, you will see two dogs practicing a buddy walk. Take note of how the handlers continue to walk even if their dog isn’t moving perfectly in the space. They also start out far enough apart that they are able to walk without their dogs being so distracted and excessively pulling or tripping the handlers. As the walk progresses, the teams start to walk in closer proximity to each other. You may notice that the dogs still pull a little, but eventually are able to walk even closer. As you advance your dog’s skills by making the situation more difficult, such as decreasing the distance between you and the distraction (the other dog), your dog will likely have a few minutes of adjusting to the difficulty. This is to be expected and you should not move closer until the dogs are connected to the handlers again. By the end of the walk, we are looking for nice, relaxed pups! 

Blue Cape Journal Sept 2015 - Buddy Walking from Southeastern Guide Dogs on Vimeo.

By doing these buddy walks on a consistent basis, you should find a gradual, overall change in demeanor for your dog at class and other distracting situations. For our future guide and service dogs, practice of ignoring distractions will carry over into their work and help them be the superheroes we know they are!