Walking a Dog On a Leash

Walking a dog is something almost every owner does. But walking should be more than a task or chore that meets a dog's needs. Walking is an opportunity for owners to establish basic leadership skills with their dog. And leadership is the foundation point for good manners and listening!

In my weekly travels, I see a variety of tools that many owners have tried in an attempt to help a dog stop pulling, calm down, or otherwise behave better out on walks. Most of these tools make it difficult for the dog to pull or act up, but they don't actually teach a dog to walk properly. Go back to walking without the tool (even after many years), and the problem behavior generally persists. Why? Because there's a difference between managing how a dog walks, and teaching a dog how to walk properly.

Watching an owner and their dog go down the street says a lot about the relationship between them. Few dogs walk well on their own, but with effective teaching they can learn to pay attention to an owner, and follow rather than lead. In fact, my typical advice for owners is to have the dog understand the walk is YOURS, and he/she is being given a privilege to come along. Teaching your dog that this privilege has some responsibilities (no tension on a leash, sit when we aren't moving, etc.) is an easy place to begin building a new relationship, or improving a difficult one. Teaching is part of good leadership, which helps define many other aspects of a healthy relationship between an owner and pet.

Many owners have problems walking their dog on walks, and calling a trainer can provide tremendous help. Because of its importance, walking is something I address at every initial visit. A good trainer will help owners TEACH their dog to walk properly, not pass out harnesses or head halters that make it difficult for a dog to pull. I think this is a very important point, and one I encourage all owners to carefully consider. When a dog follows nicely on a walk because they have learned what is expected, you're well on your way to developing a healthy relationship, and creating a respectful dog with fewer problem behaviors in other areas of life.