I am on week 2 of the leash walking programme and have found it to be stress-free and easy to implement. I am using this with both of my dogs and they are responding very well and learning quickly. I'm grateful for a force-free method as I am more relaxed as well knowing that I do not need to use corrections. Thank you !
Very satisfied. One thing to know is that this really is a six-week program (and could easily take longer). After six weeks, I can't honestly say we are going on true "dream walks" but I've seen a huge positive change that has made the effort worth it. One unexpected benefit of working through this program was it helped me to bond with my dog. When she encounters something surprising or distressing, she is now much more likely to look to me for guidance.
For anyone curious: I did this with a ~5-year-old dog with an unknown history.
We’ve never had much success training our dogs to walk on a leash without tension. Speaking as someone who’s been yanked off her feet by a dog lunging after a squirrel or watched in horror as her pup slipped out of its collar to chase another dog across the street, leash walking always felt like a battle we couldn’t win.
That changed when we found the "6 Weeks to Dream Walks" program. We’re only in Week 4 of 6, and the transformation has already been life-changing.
With two Bernese Mountain Dog puppies joining our family, proper training quickly became a priority. Knowing they’ll likely exceed 100 pounds each, we wanted to be sure our family could enjoy peaceful, safe walks, especially with teenagers in tow. Our top concern was everyone’s safety (both human and canine) and we knew that without proper training, distractions like squirrels or other dogs could pose serious risks.
The "6 Weeks to Dream Walks" program has been incredibly easy to follow and thoughtfully designed. Each week builds on the last, with clear goals and a helpful self-assessment to determine if you and your pup are ready to move forward. That structure has helped us stay consistent and confident.
What’s made the biggest difference is the use of positive reinforcement with treats, cues, and gradual progress that feels fun for both us and the dogs. In the past, we never used a structured method for leash training, and this has truly been a game-changer. We’ve learned just as much as our pups have!
We’re so grateful to Happy Hounds for creating this resource. It’s empowering, approachable, and already making a lasting impact on our daily life. We can’t wait to enjoy many “dream walks” together as a family in the years to come.
I'm still on week one and we are building up the skills. Gemma is loving the work and is going to be a rockstar as we work through the book. It might be a bit more than 6 weeks to the perfect walk at our pace, but I know it will be a perfect walk!
Very well done and some great information!