"Oh, look at that beautiful snow. Are you having a good time, buddy? Yeah, this is fun. What? No! GAH!!!!" - Me, probably, most winters.

Bu guards his ball on a cold winter day in Brooklyn

Walking a reactive dog in a city is an exercise in situational awareness on any day but when the snow falls and the ice forms your training gets leveled up without your consent. Suddenly your dog is reacting more, you're more frustrated, and you never want to leave your home with that four-legged freak again.

I empathize, I've been there - as recently as this morning.

Quick Review - What is our normal plan for walking with a reactive dog?

• Keep an eye out for triggers

• Know how much space your dog needs from triggers

• Maintain that space so your dog remains connected to their learning brain

• Feed your dog while they watch triggers from a safe distance

Easier said than done, I know. I also know that many of you are doing it and succeeding all the time. Sure, none of us have a record of 100% perfection but we're making a difference for our dogs, reducing their threshold distance, and making our lives safer and saner. You deserve a treat for that!

Once it snows in a city all our routes and plans have to change because the whole landscape is different. So, going back to what you know about Trigger Stacking, let's look at what's changed for our dogs:

• It's cold. Whether they love that or hate it, that excitement brings them closer to going over threshold.

• Pathways are narrower because folks aren't shoveling the entire walk or there's too much snow to get rid of

• Exit options are limited because of snow drifts or ice

• They might be wearing gear that makes them feel restricted or unstable - coat, cowls, boots, etc.

• Some things sound different - wheels on the street, carts over ice, falling icicles or clumps of snow, etc.

• If it's windy the sights, smells, and sounds will be amped up, too.

So now you've got a hyped up dog, seventeen layers of clothes on, your vision is obscured by your hood, and your fingers are turning into frozen sausages. What do you do?

• Use your top notch situational awareness skills for good. Get a warm hat, fold your hood back for better sight lines, and keep on your toes

• Bring super high value food that you can offer without losing all the feeling in your hands. Baby food pouches can be good for this.

• Act earlier. If your dog can usually watch a dog pass on the sidewalk from the street, just off the curb, you're probably going to need more space. Assess the triggers earlier and take action earlier.

• Know that it's ok if you avoid triggers more, train less, and even take shorter walks. Snowy, icy days aren't perfect for training and you don't have to train every walk of every day. Prioritize safety over your training schedule.

• Feed your dog more frequently just for existing out there. It's a whole new world and every piece of food you add to the experience helps them normalize it and calm down.

• And, of course, contact a certified, force-free trainer for help. This is a great time to start working with someone, keep your appointments regular, or check in for a tune-up.

This morning we were half a block from home. We'd been out there for about 45 minutes. I had kept myself from falling but Watson had tipped over a couple of times. There was too much salt and his feet hurt. I looked up and on the corner, right across from our building, one of his arch nemeses crossed the street and headed toward us and their person slipped a little and tightened up on the leash.

I don't know how to convey how strongly I did not want to be out there any longer and how little I cared about training. I did, though, care about how hard it would hurt if I fell so I talked kindly to Watson so we could immediately cross the street. Realistically it was only an extra minute or two in the cold and the other side of the street was less icy and safer but in my heart it was a Herculean effort.

I know that you're all out there doing the hard things. Please remember to give yourselves a treat.

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