Our 1st Group Reactive Dog Walk

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This is something I’ve wanted to offer for years — a way to help owners of reactive dogs feel more confident getting out and about in a safe, supportive and understanding environment. And with the biggest thanks to Claire from Tails on the Trails I was finally able to put it into action. My goal is to help both dogs and their humans access places they might otherwise avoid, while giving the dogs positive experiences and opportunities to learn at a pace they can genuinely cope with.

To begin with, numbers on the walks will remain very small. It’s incredibly important to me that everyone feels safe and comfortable, and that the dogs are kept as under threshold as possible so they can process their environment, remain successful, and build positive associations rather than becoming overwhelmed.

So, on Sunday 24th May, we held our very first planned walk — and honestly, it could not have gone better. Although numbers were reduced due to the heat and other reasons, we moved the start time earlier and managed to get out before the sun really kicked in (we were all finished before it reached 21 degrees!).

Two dogs attended: Belle, who is understandably worried by larger dogs after being attacked by a Golden Retriever at the park (yes, even Golden Retrievers can be unsociable sometimes!), and Cheery, a dog many of you may already know from previous blog posts who can be uncertain of new dogs and get frustrated on the lead.

We genuinely didn’t know how the dogs would feel about each other, but they were absolutely amazing. There wasn’t a cross word, a hard stare, a lunge or even the slightest lip curl. They simply walked together calmly, with enough space to ensure they both felt comfortable and safe.

Claire was an incredible “lookout”, helping us spot gates, stiles, approaching dogs and anything else ahead of us, while I focused on monitoring the dogs’ body language and stepping in if support was needed — although, truthfully, I barely needed to.

One of the loveliest parts of the walk was how kind and understanding almost everyone we met was. When we asked people to briefly pop their dogs on lead while passing us, nearly everyone did so without hesitation or frustration — something that, sadly, isn’t always the norm for reactive dog owners.

Having two people there without dogs also made a huge difference. It meant we could calmly guide off-lead dogs away if needed, speak to owners before they approached, and generally make the environment feel safer and more manageable for everyone involved. Also, without Claire leading the way, I suspect we’d probably still be wandering around the countryside trying to find the exit!

Because I’m intentionally keeping numbers small while these walks develop, I do ask that anyone booking onto them has either attended one of my socialisation classes or had a 1-1 session with me beforehand. This helps me ensure the walks are the right fit for both dog and owner, while also allowing me to maintain a safe, positive and beneficial environment for everyone attending.

If you'd like to join us or would like more info please don't hesitate to reach out kate@inspiringtails.com