6 Calming Activities for Easier Walks with Your Barking, Lunging Dog
- Ruth Hegarty
- Jan 16
- 5 min read
Parenting a barking, lunging reactive dog is tough!
Their behavior causes you stress, anxiety & even embarrassment, which makes walks feel like a chore.😠
The thing is, your dog isn’t acting this way on purpose. Reactive behaviors like barking and lunging during walks stem from frustration, fear and pain. Not only is it overwhelming for you, it’s overwhelming for your dog!
The good news is, your dog wants to feel and act calm as much as you do. In addition to teaching your dog different ways to respond to what upsets them, there are simple things you can do to help both of you remain calm.
The relationship you have with your dog helps you to help them feel better. You can work together to manage stress and help your dog—and you—feel safe, balanced & ready to handle challenges.
Below are six practical, effective activities to reduce stress, deepen your bond & improve your training results:
1. Breathe Your Way to Calm
Deliberate calm breathing is a simple way to calm you and your dog. The calmer you are, the more it helps your dog calm down to match your energy. Synchronize your calm breathing with your dog's to create a shared state of relaxation.
Follow these Steps:
Choose a quiet, low-distraction environment.
Get comfortable so your dog is encouraged to also relax.
Gently stroke your dog’s chest or ears (or anywhere your dog prefers).
Breathe deeply at a calm pace (example: breath in to a count of 4, hold for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 4, repeat...).
Watch your dog for signs of relaxation (sighing, settling in a comfy position).
Deep calm breathing works because it signals the nervous system to relax. Paired with gentle touch, it creates a shared sense of safety and fosters a stronger bond between you and your dog.
2. Move Your Way to Calm
Stress is energy which has to go somewhere. Choosing how to move releases tension, restores calm and increases focus. In highly stressful situations, rather than allowing your nervous energy to cause shaking and rapid heart rate, deliberately choose productive movement such as walking in figure "8's" or asking your dog to perform every trick they know.
Follow these Steps:
Jog a bit, jump up & down, or whatever helps dispense that stress energy.
Switch to slow movements like swaying from side to side or walking in a circle with your dog.
Walk in a pattern like zig zags or figure "8's" (you can practice these during walks, too).
Match your pace & movements to your dog’s for a shared calm experience.
Movement works because it releases physical tension which helps you and your dog reconnect and calm down. It’s a powerful way to support each other to achieve calm during and after stressful situations.
3. Warm Up/Cool Down Your Way to Calm
Temperature—whether warm or cool—helps bring emotions back to a calm baseline. This method is easy to customize based on your and your dog’s preferences.
Steps for Warming Techniques:
Use a warm (not hot) water bottle against your dog’s side.
Pair with the breathing technique from #1.
If your dog enjoys warm air, you can add air with a space heater or hairdryer at their chest.
Steps for Cooling Techniques:
Run an ice cube along your dog’s chest, legs or belly (or they can lay on the ice).
Apply a cool towel or ice pack to your own wrists or neck.
Combine with the breathing technique from #1.
Warming and cooling create calm by engaging the sense of touch which redirects your (and your dog's) focus from stress to a pleasant physical sensation.
4. Play Your Way to Calm with the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Game
The 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Game is a mindfulness exercise adapted for dogs. It engages both human and canine senses to reduce anxiety and strengthen your bond.
Steps for Humans:
Identify 5 Things You Can See around you.
Identify 4 Things You Can Touch nearby (items or textures).
Identify 3 Things You Can Hear in the environment.
Identify 2 Things You Can Smell around you.
Identify 1 Thing You Can Taste (perhaps the last thing you drank).
Steps for Dogs:
Identify 5 Things They Can See by pointing out objects for your dog to observe.
Identify 4 Things They Can Touch and encourage them to interact with the objects.
Identify 3 Things They Can Hear and help them focus on those sounds.
Identify 2 Things They Can Smell by offering them things to sniff.
Identify 1 Thing They Can Taste such as a treat.
Redirecting your and your dog's attention onto your senses helps ground both of you in the present moment thereby reducing stress and fostering connection.
5. Sniff Your Way to Calm
Scent games aren't just fun for dogs, they engage a primal sense that’s deeply linked to emotional regulation. This works for humans as well. Focusing on scents helps ground you and your dog in the present moment.
Follow these Steps:
Choose the scent you will use (make sure it's dog-safe like pancakes or clove oil).
Prepare the scent by adding a drop of essential oil to a cotton ball or cutting a piece of food to use.
Take turns sniffing the scent with your dog.
You can combine this scent game with the breathing technique from #1.
Playing with scent helps redirect focus and create a calming shared experience between you and your dog. It’s easy to take along on walks and is effective in a variety of contexts.
6. Touch Your Way to Calm
Dogs are quite sensitive to different textures so they can easily be used to offer a physical focus for them that soothes both mind and body. Humans can benefit from focusing on specific textures as well which makes this activity perfect for you and your dog during stressful moments.
Follow these Steps:
Collect several textural objects such as a spiky massage ball, bubble wrap or one of your dog's fluffy toys.
Experiment with different ways of touching the texture like holding it in your hand or pressing it against your cheek.
Gently touch your dog with the object by running the spiky massage ball through their fur. If your dog prefers, allow them to interact with the object in their own way.
Bring an easily portable textural item with you on walks to engage with during stressful moments. Alternatively, you can make a practice of engaging with these items after returning from your walks.
Textures are great for providing a grounding focus, encouraging calm and strengthening the bond between you and your dog.
Your and your dog's emotions are circular, bouncing off each other as levels of stress raise and lower. Managing stress together is a journey of connection and understanding. By practicing the above techniques, you and your dog can reduce stress and learn to quickly build calm together in many different circumstances. Working together as partners builds trust, empathy and confidence between you. Choose the activities that appeal to you most and have fun with the process. Take your time, experiment with what works best & enjoy the process of growing closer with your dog.
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