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10 Dog Walking Tips
to Enjoy a Stroll with your Furry Friend
The best dog walking tips are based on positive methods, you will notice that I will never tell you to pull on the dog leash, choke him or anything negative. The best way to teach your dog to walk nicely on the leash is with rewards.
No more pulling! No more tripping! No more feeling embarrassed while you are out on a hike with your loving pooch. Well, it does require some practice though, but this tips are easy to implement daily.
Dog walking should be relaxing and enjoyable for both you and your pet, the advice written here will help you accomplish this. The key is that your dog should enjoy the walk as well. Many times dogs pull on the leash or bark because they are poorly socialized and afraid.
Always remember to be consistent, patient and to practice a lot for best results when using these dog walking tips.
Dog Walking Tip 1:
Ask your dog to sit before you attach the leash to his collar. Do not give in, be patient and wait until he is calm. This is a self-control exercise and teaches your pet that good things come only when he is calm. Try the dance of the dog leash!
Dog Walking Tip 2:
Bring dog treats for the dog walk and only use them for very good behaviors. For example, if you pooch stops and looks at you give him a treat! If he walks next to you for more than 3 steps, give him a treat! You can keep raising your criteria as your furry friend success on the easy steps. This exercise teaches your canine friend that walking near you and checking-in with you is rewarding!
Tip 3:
Never pull on the leash yourself. Sometimes I see people walking on the street with their dogs and you can’t tell who is pulling/jerking on the leash more! Jerking or pulling on the leash doesn’t teach anything to your hound. In fact, the opposite happens!
Have you ever wondered why dogs are so dumb and keep on pulling on the leash even though they are clearly choking? It’s because they have what is called “an apposition reflex”, this basically means that they have a reflex to oppose any force against them!
That is why head halters and chest-clip harnesses work so well, they provide pressure in places that naturally make the dog want to walk slower.
In the picture you can see that head halters look like muzzles by they are not. Dogs can bark, eat and bite with these head collars on!
Tip 4:
You guessed it!
Use a head halter or chest-clip harness instead of a regular collar. Never use a choke chain, slip collar or pinch collar on your dog, these can harm your furry friend in the long run. Of all the dog walking tips, this is the easiest one to implement. I have seen some monster pullers become the nicest walkers on a leash!
Tip 5:
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Tip 6:
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Tip 7:
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If your pooch is pulling on the leash, STOP. Just stand there and wait for him to figure out that to keep on hiking he must put some slack on the leash. Do this consistently for your pet to understand what is going on. |
Pay attention to your canine and the surroundings. If you notice another dog, kid or person coming your way, and you know your pooch will be afraid or overexcited, then gently call him to walk in a different direction. |
Ask your dog to respond to basic commands along the way to keep him focused on you. Try sit, down, stand, stay, look at me, and any tricks like spin and high five. Make sure you mix and match commands so you pooch can't predict what you will be asking him to do next. |
Tip 8:
Ask your dog to sit every time you stop at a crossing point or every time you stop.
If you are very consistent and ALWAYS ask your dog to sit at every street corner and every time you stop for any reason, then your pooch will eventually learn to do it on his own.
For this to be reliable, reward your hound the first few times, as you are training the sit. Then, only give him food treats once in a while in a random manner.
Tip 9:
Ask your dog to sit before you let anyone pet him. This is another self-control exercise that teaches him to be calm around humans.
Dog Walking Tip 10:
Don’t accidentally reward your dog for behaviors you don’t like! Keep in mind that food treats are NOT the only rewards to your pet. Attention, walking, playing, interesting things to smell or look at are all rewards too! Use them wisely.
Now go out and start using these dog walking tips right away! And remember that it takes time and practice, your dog’s leash manners will not go away after one walk. You must create a habit.
Home > Leash Training your Dog > Leash Training Tips
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