We all love a polite dog. The dog who walks up to you and stands there (or sits), waiting for some gentle petting. That being said, it’s much more common that a dog climbs up your body or launches themself at you. Maybe they even paw or nip at you while jumping. The common (often unhelpful) advice is just to ignore the jumping, the pawing, and the mouthing.

Have you ever felt like walking your dog was a chore instead of an opportunity to explore and bond with your dog? Maybe your dog is scared of going for a walk, overstimulated and jumping on you when you put on their dog walking gear, or just pulls you every which way once you’re outside. These situations are all common, and can be helped through understanding your dog’s body language, setting up routines, compassion towards yourself and your dog, and basic training.