Great Outdoors Dog Academy

  • Home
  • Great Outdoors Dog Academy

Great Outdoors Dog Academy Real World Training and Behavior Management. Professional and force-free dog training and behavior consulting.

08/10/2025
04/09/2025
23/07/2025

Loose lead isnt natural. It’s a skill that has to be learnt. Biomechanically, dogs are built to move faster than us. Dogs choose to shift to a natural trot and on average walk at 2.5 - 4 mph (Hildebrand, 1966) where us naked monkeys on the otherhand average 2-3 mph walking (Kirtley, 2006). Do you know what 2.5 feels like? You should!

Because the mismatch alone creates tension — physically with the lead and emotionally in the relationship. Infact Dogs Trust found 30% of owners considered it a reason to rehome.

Now add in breed differences with research by Fischer & Lilje (2011) suggesting that Different breeds have different locomotive profiles based on original function. Malinois and Vizslas who are bred to move, track, cover ground; hearding breed like kelpies and collies who are bred to arc out infront; scent hounds like Beagles and Bloodhounds - designed to follow their noses with purpose, drive and speed; and of course breeds like Huskies who are literally bred and built to pull - it’s in the actual job description.

Its not a suprise that Rooney & Cowan (2011) found Lead tension and restricted gait was specifically a negative welfare marker for working breeds.

So when we expect all dogs to plod beside us through a park at human pace, ignoring smells, distractions, and natural instinct…we’re arent asking for a behaviour: We’re asking for the dog to restrain their pace, suppress their instincts, and constantly self-regulate.

In my opinion loose lead is one of the three essential skills I believe every dog pro needs to understand in depth - gait, drive, motivation, mechanics, assessment, different technique and exercise, consequence gradients and all.

Because when you understand what you’re really asking for,
you stop calling it stubbornness
and start training it like the advanced skill it actually is. And this leads to way better pet dogs with way happier relationships. ###

24/06/2025

Even in the mess, there’s lots of love here 🐾❤️
— art by

19/05/2025

While mistakes happen, it’s just a regular occurrence now that, another dog will run over regardless of lead on, change of direction, communication.

Until you are the one with the nervous, vulnerable, reactive, recovering dog, it’s hard to understand the repercussions of this. But it can make walks unpleasant, the anticipation of what could happen, anxiety inducing.

We deserve our peaceful walks back, our dogs deserve to stay on track with training. We should live in a world where dogs are under control.

30/04/2025
26/04/2025

“He’s reactive.”
“She’s dominant.”
“This dog is aggressive.”

Heard it before? We all have. But what do those words actually mean in terms of what the dog is doing?

When we trade labels for specific behaviors, everything changes.

Try this instead:
“He barks and pulls toward dogs within 30 feet”
“She freezes when people reach toward her”
“He growls and moves away when someone touches his collar”

These are the details that build a training plan—and track real progress.

Labels tell us what we think. Observations tell us what we can change.

25/04/2025

Address

OH

Opening Hours

Monday 07:00 - 20:00
Tuesday 07:00 - 20:00
Wednesday 07:00 - 20:00
Thursday 07:00 - 20:00
Friday 07:00 - 20:00
Saturday 07:00 - 20:00
Sunday 07:00 - 20:00

Telephone

+17403364015

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Great Outdoors Dog Academy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Great Outdoors Dog Academy:

Shortcuts

  • Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service?

Share