Force-Free Dog Walking in Baltimore!

Walking with a professional dog trainer can help your dog make faster progress!

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Dog walking is a skill.

Selecting a dog walker is not a task to take lightly. Anyone can walk a dog, but not everyone knows how to walk in a way that strengthens your dog’s training and skills. That’s what I can do!

Walk with me!
A woman with short hair wearing gray leggings and a light gray t-shirt with a treat pouch around her waist walks a white pit bull who is pulling toward the camera. The woman has her hand in her treat bag and is smiling.

Pictured: Nikki with a shelter dog during an outing in 2023.

Hi, I’m Nikki! I’m a dog trainer here in Baltimore who also offers dog walking to certain dogs.

I provide force-free dog walking to dogs working on walking-related training in Baltimore County & Baltimore City (within 30 minutes of Parkville). I specialize in dogs who are challenging to walk for any particular reason:

  • Leash Reactivity - barking, lunging, etc. at dogs, people, cars or any other trigger

  • Stranger danger - dogs who are concerned about a stranger entering their home to leash and walk them, or dogs who are concerned about strangers while out and about (or both!)

  • Redirection - Dogs who may turn and bite/snap at their handler during a moment of intense emotion

  • Dogs who are nervous/fearful - Dogs who are afraid to walk, nervous while walking, easily startled, etc.

There’s no one better to walk your sensitive dog than a professional dog trainer who can maintain and build on your dog’s training in the process.

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I offer 3 kinds of force-free dog walks in Baltimore:

  • A black pit bull with a white snout is walking on a leash with a red harness on. She is looking up at the camera held by the person next to her and smiling.

    Training Walks

    This is not a generic dog walk! Training walks maintain and strengthen your dog’s existing training protocols and skills, and/or develop new walk-related training skills. Your dog will make more progress walking with someone who knows how to utilize their training!

    30-minute visits start at $30

    50-min visits start at $45

    Price will be quoted based on your location, your dog’s behavior, current training needs, and reward needs.

  • A Bernese Mountain Dog runs through tall green grass directly toward the camera.

    Decompression Walks

    Decompression walks aren’t about training, but they’re an important part of it. They’re opportunities to decompress by sniffing, exploring and meandering along. This is done on a long line in a quiet, trigger-free environment. Doing this regularly improves your dog’s wellbeing and their behavior.

    Open to existing Training Walk clients only.

    75-minute visits start at $60

    Rate & visit time include transportation to/from a walking site within 15 minutes of your home. Higher rates apply for longer drives.

  • A German Shepherd mix lays on his side in the grass. He has a toy in his mouth and a large ball near his stomach. He has one leg in the air and is captured mid-play. Behind him is a fence with a progress pride flag.

    SniffSpot Adventures

    Dogs need to cut loose and RUN regularly! Regular, appropriate physical outlets help dogs be their best self in training and in everyday life. During SniffSpot Adventures your dog will get to run, play, explore a new space and do a little training with me in the process.

    Open to existing Training Walk clients only.

    90-minute visit starts at $75

    Rate & visit time includes 1 hour at a SniffSpot and transportation to/from within 15 minutes of your home. Higher rates apply for longer drives.

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Eligibility for Training Walks

  • Resident of Baltimore County & Baltimore City within 35 minutes from me (in Parkville).

  • Your dog is in training (or completed training) with me or with another local positive trainer and working on walking-related behavior.

  • Willingness to stick to positive, ethical training. No force, coercion, intimidation, pain or fear is used, and no corrective devices of any kind.

  • Walking equipment includes a y-front harness and long leash (or open to me using a long leash).

  • Willingness to provide plenty of appropriate food rewards for training walks.

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A brown and white pit bull mix lies in a pile of colorful fall leaves facing the camera with ears perked.

Walking FAQs

  • In the event that the weather is too hot, cold, rainy, etc. then I'll do my very best to get them out for a quick potty, and then we'll head back inside for enrichment activities and indoor training.

  • I will not force your dog to walk. If your dog doesn't want to walk for any reason (pain/injury, not feeling well, too nervous/fearful, etc), then I'll do my very best to get them out for a quick potty, and then we'll head back inside for enrichment activities and indoor training.

  • Lessons with the dog’s humans aren’t included with training walks; however, if you’re not already working with a positive trainer, then we will need to add on lessons with me.

  • If you’re my training client, then yes, ask away! If you’re working with another positive trainer, please contact them with your training questions. If you’d rather talk with me about it, then let’s schedule a lesson together so I can coach you on your dog’s walking-related training and answer all your questions.

  • When the walk is complete, I'll text you a short summary of any notable happenings (reactions, triggers encountered, etc), skills we learned or practiced, your dog's bathroom happenings, and anything out of the ordinary. I may also share a video if I’m able to get one.

  • No, not usually. You will need to provide plenty of food rewards that are appropriate for your dog and for the environment we'll be walking in. This is especially important if your dog has food allergies or a sensitive stomach. 

  • If your dog is nervous/fearful or just uncomfortable with a new person leashing them up, then I'll ask you to leave their harness on, that way I can just clip the leash on and go. Putting on a harness involves a lot of handling and that can feel very invasive, so skipping that step often helps. 

    If that doesn't help us get out the door, then instead of pressuring your dog to come with me, we'll spend our first few visits building trust and familiarity. I’ll let you know if this happens and we'll stay in touch about how it’s progressing.

  • I’m a professional dog trainer so the only kind of walks I offer are training walks. If your dog doesn’t need training, I’d be happy to refer you to a regular dog walker.

  • Absolutely not. Group walks / pack walks (one handler with multiple dogs) do more harm than good for most dogs, so I will never walk your dog with dogs outside of their household. Your dog will always get a private walk/adventure.

    Multiple dogs in the same household might be a different story. If you have multiple dogs and walking together doesn't interfere with each dog's ability to engage with their training protocols, then I'm happy to walk them together. Otherwise, I will split the time between them.

  • No. I only offer force-free dog walks and it's important to me to engage with dogs in a way that aligns with my values. I won't use any tools that are designed to cause discomfort or pain. If you are interested in leaving those tools and approaches behind and switching to positive training, then I'd be glad to help you on that journey! It's a journey I once took, too.

  • I don't do pet sitting but I'd be happy to share referrals to trusted local pet sitters.

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What my force-free dog walking clients are saying…

A screenshot of a text message from a reactive dog walking client in Baltimore expressing how much better her dog's reactivity has been since walking with me.
A screenshot of a text message from a walking client that says how much she's improved thanks to our walks.