Where to walk anxious dog?
TLDR: I live near the base/Mission, where can I walk my anxious dog with less people/triggers?
I adopted a dog a few months ago, and she is on the anxious side, but definitely needs plenty of exercise. She will fearfully bark at strangers, and will run if approached by any dog bigger than a frenchie.
I’m doing my best to try to expose her and train her, but it’s near impossible to find a time and place where we have the distance from others required for her to calmly observe and grow more comfortable with dogs and people.
In the area I live front yards are gated, which makes for very poor visibility.
I try to cross the street when I can, but every driveway feels like a jump scare waiting to happen, a person behind a car, a dog out of its yard behind some bushes or trees.
I’ve tried to go back in the wash where the bike path is, where there is good visibility and less foot traffic, but that seems to be where everyone walks to let their dogs run off leash too, so I end up having to turn back, as only half of people will leash to cross paths.
A nearby park, same problem! Hordes of off leash dogs!!! Usually easier to avoid but not entirely possible.
Where can I go to get a break?!
I know my dog won’t get better if I lock her inside, and that’s just cruel to do as well, but every walk is incredibly stressful. It sucks to start my day off with peak anxiety every day to make sure she is getting what she needs, even though it causes her anxiety too!
I’m just sad and anxious and hoping for solutions, or at least commiseration.