Seeing This Dog Walker In Portland, Maine, Made Me Stop Cold

I couldn't believe what I was seeing on a street in Portland, Maine, and pulled over to find out more.

This guy was walking with 7 dogs tethered to him. He was just outside of Portland's Old Port, and every dog was behaving so well. I yelled to him out my car window if he was a dog walker, and he said no, he was a pack walker.

What exactly is 'pack walking'?

According to Good Doggie, walking with a pack of dogs has a lot of benefits:

• It’s a great confidence booster for your dog. Walking with a group of other dogs and humans provides a feeling of security.
• It’s a great way to learn, especially for dogs that are out of practice. Tagging on at the back allows an anxious dog to feel in control, as they can see and smell the other dogs.
• It’s non-confrontational as all the dogs are moving away from you, plus they can watch the other dogs greeting each other and learn normal greeting behaviour from a safe distance.
• It’s mentally stimulating to walk as a pack. Dogs are highly sociable animals, and they love to be part of a large group. Walking with others is a great way to make them feel like they are part of something bigger, and it fulfills both their safety and belonging needs.

READ MORE: Dogs Are Legally Part of Your Family in Maine and New Hampshire

Don't look for this guy to walk your dog in Portland, Maine - he's moving!

I literally pulled my car over, got out, and chatted with this fellow with a pack of incredibly well-behaved dogs walking. He said that he loves what he does, and it's not often offered in a busy area like Portland, Maine. You can find pack walkers for wooded and off-the-beaten-path walks, but not in a busy city.

Heyward (that's all he would say for his name) says he could add 7 more dogs to this pack walk! He's not around anymore, as he was packing up and moving to California, where his skills would be in much bigger demand. Do you 'pack walk' your dog?