Weather, especially inclement weather can work in your favor for training opportunities!

The wind...

Aside from the fact that most dogs love the wind, it's also the perfect time to authentically train leave it.

Depending on where you're walking, all sorts of different things will be blowing around. Leaves, wrappers, and bags are popular items we frequently see on windy days. The dogs really have to focus on what you're asking them to do because they just want to chase all of the things!

When it's windy or been windy earlier in the day, consider your walking destination options. There’s an outdoor shopping mall near us that is dog-friendly. If I get there in the morning before their maintenance crews arrive, the pups have to ignore napkins, bits of food from the restaurants, and wrappers. On weekends, we can usually find many of these distractions lying around, but after it's been windy, there's even more junk spread all over.

I don't even care that I look like an indecisive dog mom walking in zig-zaggy patterns. Bernie has to weave around all of these wonderful smelling pieces of trash and we get to practice leave it over and over with new items in a real scenario.

Light rain...

If you live near a playground with interesting equipment for dogs to jump on, then wait for a little light rain. While many parents will let their kids continue playing, some playgrounds may be deserted.

I love letting Bernie and Lizzie scamper over different textures, climb on platforms, and run up play stairs. They have a great time for a few minutes and I know that exposing them to different structures, surfaces, and textures helps develop their body confidence.

Thunderstorms...

Flip the script on the dreaded rumblings of the thunderstorms. Train during thunderstorms so your dog associates positive fun learning with the loud noise. Use the yummiest treats to make this training session extra special.