Let’s Go For A Dog Walk!
“Let’s go for a walk!” you say to your dog and what started out as such a good idea turns quickly into a contest that you don’t know how to win. Picture a dog already jumping, barking and circling with such excitement that it’s almost impossible to attach the leash. Another scenario might be a pet parent hunting the house for their dog after announcing the walk because the dog is afraid to leave the house for any reason, even to go on a dog walk. These are examples of both ends of the dog walk spectrum with most people and their dogs being somewhere in between.
Going for a walk with your dog doesn’t have to be a drag. National Train Your Dog Month kicks off each January to celebrate our efforts to communicate better with our dogs and train them to enjoy our time together… even with loose leash walking.
Most people want their dog to go on a dog walk without pulling on the leash. Most dogs learn to ignore the taut leash and tight collar to forge ahead. The most important thing to remember is you will never win the “pull” contest so just stop the walk as soon as your dog starts to pull. That’s right, just stand still. Eventually your dog will turn around to you to check out what’s wrong with “you”. Reward your dog for coming to you and try walking forward again. Repeat this process until your dog understands that going on a dog walk means loose leash walking. A great webinar on Loose Leash Walking can be found at: www.trainyourdogmonth.com/events/webinars/10/
Too simple you say? Taking a dog for a walk is a very straight forward concept… except for factors like the dog’s age, past on-leash walking experience, breed, size, environmental distractions (i.e., sudden noises or movement, smells, people, traffic, other animals or other dogs) plus your own dog walking skills and confidence. We are always excited for the opportunity to show people how to be aware of take charge of the hazards associated with dog walks. We see dogs who regularly get a Nature Walk while lodging here at Fondren 5 star Pet Resort become conditioned to loose leash walking.
Try out a training class or some individual lessons to help you and your dog develop good, reliable skills and increase your levels of communication. Once you learn to recognize the ways to keep your dog focused on you, there will be so much more for both of you to enjoy on your loose leash walks.
Fondren 5 Star Pet Resort hosts dog training classes. We train for loose leash walking as well as good manners in general. We love to teach people and their dogs to go for a dog walk. Talk to us soon at 281-835-4445 so you can stop the madness and start having enjoyable loose leash walks and a well mannered dog. Be sure to schedule an Activity Package with a Nature Walk when your dog is here for lodging to add positive leash walking experiences.