You might think that taking your dog out is a walk in the park, but that’s not always the case. Walking your pet can be the outlet for so many bad behaviors. As it continues, the cycle just repeats itself, until walking your pooch becomes a chore, instead of quality time together. We’ve put together 8 top tips for how to walk your dog, so it can be a rewarding experience for both of you.
Have you ever gotten home from walking you dog with a sore arm form trying to keep them in check? A question that many dog owners ask is how do you walk a dog that pulls? While training is essential, there is one walking tip that might help. A front clip harness. The reason for this is that a dog’s natural instinct with a collar or back clip harness is to pull even harder when they feel any resistance. This is why they pull on the leash. A front clip harness prevents that reaction and can make a massive difference to how they walk.
Getting your dog super excited with cries of “walkies!” might seem like great fun, and your dog will definitely love it, but it can also be a major cause of bad behavior on walks. It’s teaching your pet that being this excited is ok, and your dog won’t see any reason why this shouldn’t continue throughout the walk. Making sure that your dog is sitting nicely and is calm before you put the lead on them is good dog training. It will show them that being over-excited isn’t acceptable, and that you need them to be well behaved for the walk to happen.
There are so many sights, sounds, and most importantly smells that your dog wants to investigate when you’re out for a walk. Giving them time to do so is helping to exercise their brain and providing them with the mental stimulation that they need. Most dogs also need time to sniff around before doing their business, so be patient while they do this. They are also less likely to dig their heels in when you actually do need to move on.
Dog breeding is important, and every breed of dog requires a different activity level. For example, the majority of the “giant” breeds need relatively little walking, which may come as a surprise to some. Breeds such as spaniels and collies will need somewhere where they can go off-lead and have a good run around, otherwise they are prone to becoming excitable. This might cause them to take it out on the furniture back at home! On average, a walk should take at least 30 minutes, but every dog is different, so do your research on the breed.
Every dog likes to have your attention, and when on a walk it’s no different. Yes, they are going to be distracted by everything that’s around them, but they are still looking to you for audible cues about their behavior. Chat to them as you walk, and you will notice that they are far more likely to listen to your command when you have something important to say.
Hate the rain? Your dog might feel the same. It’s always a good idea for dog walkers to get a jacket for their pet when there’s adverse weather conditions. Not only will your dog thank you for keeping the rain off, it will also help them to keep warm. Consider a reflective coat if you are walking in low light conditions. Making your pooch extra visible will give cars plenty of time to realize they are there and keep them safe.
Your dog might be the friendliest, most lovable pooch on the planet, but other people don’t know that. Letting them run up to strangers, or jump up on someone looking for attention, is a big no-no. It’s an important part of dog training that they can meet new people properly. You can practice by getting the, to sit and wait patiently for scratches around your friends and family. This way, they can enjoy being around strangers without any danger.
No matter how well behaved your dog is, the occasional treat as a reward always goes down well. This is to be used only to reinforce exceptionally good behavior. If you give your do a treat at the wrong time they will become confused and might start acting up, thinking that it’s what you want. If you’ve used clicker training, keep clicking when you need to, but don’t stop the treats completely. A reward after a good walk is always a good idea.
There you have it, 8 top dog walking tips to ensure that you have the best-behaved pup around! If you follow these, your walks with your pet will become the best part of your day. However, if you are busy you can always hire a professional dog walker like The Peaks Pet Nanny.
