Ottawa–Gatineau’s Most Boring Pack Walk

For people who can’t walk their dogs, are embarrassed to walk their dogs, or live in a neighbourhood where walking is a high-stakes gamble—walk with the Pack.

🐾 The Magic of Pack Walking

(and No, It's Not Just a Group Stroll)

Let’s get this straight right out of the gate: Pack Walking isn’t a dog parade. It’s not a meetup. It’s not a “let’s tire them out” gimmick. It's structured, intentional movement where your dog learns how to walk with others, not just around them. It’s where dogs discover how to follow, how to ignore chaos, and how to settle into peace. It’s also where you, the handler, become more than just a leash-holder—you become a parent, a partner, and a leader worth following.

And let’s be honest—your dog spends a lot of time just walking with you. You're kind of boring (in the best, most loving way). So when they get to walk with 15 other dogs? It’s like freshman orientation at university and your dog just got invited to hang out with the cool kids.

There’s security in numbers. Walking with a pack offers structure, direction, and comfort. If led by someone strong?

That walk becomes empowering. You may be your dog’s number one hero—but the pack?

The pack is the freakin’ Justice League.

🎯 Goals for the Pup:

What Your Dog Is Really Learning

• Speed Regulation: Matching the flow without dragging or darting.

• Focus: Not just on squirrels or smells, but on you.

• Trigger Management: Seeing but not reacting to other dogs, bikes, kids, and rogue geese.

• Confidence: Moving in harmony with a group builds courage.

• Quiet Energy: No barking, no lunging—just presence.

• Socialization: The right kind—calm, structured, and meaningful.

🧠 What YOU Need to Learn (Yes, You)

Most owners leave their first Pack Walk with one big, beautiful realization:

"My dog isn’t a monster."

The chaos you usually wrestle with on solo walks? It vanishes in the pack. Your dog actually enjoys it. Better yet, they’re now starting to associate calm walking with you, instead of panic and pulling. This is association magic—and it's powerful. Many clients call us after and say, “Where’s the next pack walk? My dog needs a tune-up!”

So here’s what you’re actually learning:

• Confidence: That calm is possible.

• Association Power: You get to build a new normal.

• Reactivity Insight: That you’re not alone—and your dog can still thrive.

• Embarrassment Management: Thank dog they don’t feel shame. But humans? Oh, we do. The beauty of Pack Walks is: dog rules apply. No shame. If your dog shows up barking like a gremlin on espresso, the rest of us just sigh, smile, and nod. Been there. Got the chew toy.

There’s always a dog in their first week (sometimes second, rarely third) who has no idea what to do with all the energy, smells, dogs, and emotions. They spin out. You hold on. And we all get it. Then, suddenly, that same dog is whining at the car door next week, eager to join calmly. Crazy how awesome a dog brain is.

And hey—you don’t have to say sorry. We're mostly Canadians. The sorry is assumed. You’ll hear us say, “Relax, just move forward, it gets better in a few minutes.” And it does. Because once your dog figures out the only job here is to walk, they actually start loving it.

🚗 How to Leave the Car Like a Damn Pro

Getting your dog out of the car at a 10 and hoping to calm them to a 3 is a fantasy. Don’t open that door until they are at a 3.

• Wait until your dog is calm.

• If they surge? Close the door. Again. And again. Until they get it.

It’s simple. It’s consistent. And your dog learns fast: calm unlocks freedom.

🏁 How to Join the Pack

Stand back—10 to 20 feet out of the action. Jon or Nancy are usually orchestrating the front lines, saying hello, assessing dog energy, and moving dogs into position like conductors of a canine symphony.

• Catch their eye.

• Wait for the cue to enter.

• We walk in circles, wide at first. This creates temporary visual blocks (cars, trees, spacing) and gives anxious dogs micro-breaks.

• We tighten the circle as flow improves.

Why circles? Because it gives dogs:

• Smells

• Visual cues

• Time to assess and adapt

And yes—it’s freakin’ awesome when tails go up and quicken at the sight of familiar friends.

We don’t allow nose-to-nose greetings. Not in pack. Not ever. Movement forward keeps the mind forward. We’ve got reactive dogs, puppies, senior sweethearts, and nervous humans. Removing pressure to “say hi” makes everyone breathe easier.

Want a meet-and-greet later? Ask us post-walk. We’ll set it up right.

🧘 Your Dog Needs a Break? No Problem

Peel off from the pack. Pull your dog far enough away to decompress without disrupting others.

• Reset.

• Regroup.

• Rejoin when ready.

🐕 Close Proximity to Dogs

• Spot the stress? Affirm you’ve got it.

• Talk like your favourite aunt is coming over. Cheerful, calm, full of dopamine.

• If your dog stays in the zone? Praise.

• If they break focus? Quick correction—snap the lead, short verbal marker.

• Back to praise.

Focus on your dog, not the other dog. Let go of their reaction. Slow your own pack pace if needed. You are the anchor.

🧍 Close Proximity to Humans

• Step in front of your dog. You are the barrier.

• Speak clearly and curt. Canadian politeness? Park it.

“My dog isn’t friendly.”

Then smile:

“Thanks—you staying calm is helping us. Really appreciate it.”

Done.

✨ The Magic of Pack Learning

Dogs join a pack for two reasons:

1. Safety in numbers

2. Food odds go way up

Throw in Diesel, our three-year-old Rottie, and it’s like rolling with the Avengers. Your dog learns:

• Follow the dog ahead.

• I don’t have to lead.

No dog rushes in pack. Humans rush. Dogs flow. When your trigger-happy dog sees a bike, they ready themselves to go full berserker… but then they see 10 other dogs stay calm.

"Wait... Diesel didn’t lose it?"

Your dog holds it together. You praise like it’s a Grammy win. New behavior gets reinforced.

The next week? That dog ignores the bike. Pack magic.

🎯 BetterDog Techniques You’ll Experience

Shuffling

When we say: “Shuffle out and drop back a few,” here’s what’s happening:

• You remove your dog from flow.

• Calmly let the pack pass.

• Reintegrate mid-stream.

It teaches your dog to pause, reset, and follow your lead.

Pairing

We may move you around the pack to pair your dog with:

• A calm dog (to soothe anxiety)

• A trigger dog (to build tolerance)

It’s purposeful exposure therapy—with a leash.

📣 Final Bark

Pack walking is not a walk in the park—it’s a structured bootcamp. It’s peer pressure training at its finest. It’s emotional regulation in motion.

And when done the BetterDog way, it’s transformative for both ends of the leash.

So buckle up.

Leash up.

More Pack Walking

And let the Justice League of dogs lead your pup toward better behavior—and you toward newfound confidence.