Polite walking on a leash can be one of the most difficult behaviors to teach a dog. The good news is that by meeting realistic expectations about your dog’s exercise needs and following some simple training techniques, you and your dog can develop a great walking habit.
Walking, trotting, racing, racing
Going for a walk is a great social outing for you and your dog. It provides an excellent source of odor and mental stimulation and is a great way to train your dog to respond to requests despite distractions.
However, this is not adequate exercise for most healthy, high-energy adult or adult dogs. Most dogs consider our slow walks around the neighborhood rather boring, and sometimes resort to creating their excitement by rushing or barking. This can be emphasized when they spend long periods at home inactive, and then restricted to the end of the leash for a short outing outside. To put less energy on your dog, add a healthy mix of complementary mental and physical exercise to your dog’s life, including indoor games, supervised play sessions, and more. close contact with other dogs (if appropriate) and backyard foraging games.
Train, train, train, train
Use the phrase “Let’s go!” This means your dog can walk slightly forward, behind or beside you, stopping, sniffing, peeing and exploring – as long as he doesn’t pull on the leash. Follow the steps below to teach your dog that it’s rewarding to walk politely around you.
Note: To “mark” a good walk, choose a sound you use frequently to tell your dog that they have won a reward and that one is coming. Verbal marker “Yes!” or markers (a small plastic box that makes a “Click!” sound when pressed and is available at pet stores) are popular options.
- Hold the leash in your hand while your dog is on the same side. Hold tasty treats in your other hand, hidden from your dog. The leash should be loose enough that it won’t sag if your dog walks a few steps forward or beside you.
- Say “Let’s go!” in a cheerful voice and began to walk. As soon as he starts moving forward with you, say “Yes!” (or “Click!”), then deliver a small, delicious (just-your-mouth) dish. At first, say “Yes!” and regular treatment; almost every step. When your dog is watching you intently, gradually reduce how often you say “Yes!” and treatment.
- As your dog gets good at this game, gradually reduce the odds of you saying “Yes!” and treatment. Be sure to say “Yes!” and random processing (e.g. fourth step, second step, tenth step, fifth step). If your dog knows they will be rewarded at every tenth step, he can un-attend the nine steps and refocus on the tenth step. Be careful not to slow down the reward too quickly or your dog will get frustrated and lose the behavior. Also, make sure you don’t pull your dog (this can make your dog nervous and cause them to pull).
Resovle problem
The key to teaching polite walking is to prevent you from “accidentally” rewarding your dog for pulling. This happens every time you allow him to pull you forward and successfully sniff something or say hello to someone. Here are techniques to get your training on track.
If you are about to get distracted…
> Use tricks.
When you have to overcome a very compelling distraction, use a brief therapy to coax your dog to overcome the distraction. Put a tasty treat at the end of their nose (use more delicious ones to reduce distraction) and tell about their past. Your need for coaxing will lessen as your dog’s ability to walk politely improves.
> Give hints for “Watch”.
As soon as your dog sees an attractive distraction, such as another dog, say “Watch” and wave the smelling food an inch away from your dog’s nose to get attention. of them. Bring your hand with the food in front of you to get your dog to look you in the eye. You can also click your tongue or stroke it to encourage your dog to look up at you. When you make eye contact, say “Yes!” and handle when you move in the opposite direction of the distraction.
Watch this training video for more teaching tips Watch me.
If your dog starts pulling in front of you…
> Turn the vehicle around.
When your dog starts to move out in front of you, before he reaches the end of the rope, turn around and walk in the opposite direction (do this gently). When you turn around, call “Turn” in a cheerful tone or make a kissing sound to let him know you’ve changed direction. When he gets back to you, say “Yes!” and give a treat behind your knee.
If your dog pulls you forward on a tight leash…
> Play “Be a Tree”.
When the leash is tight, stop walking, stand still, and wait without giving your dog any signs or corrections. Eventually, he’ll wonder why you stopped and looked back at you or moved closer to investigate. As soon as the leash loosens, say “Yes!” and give him a treat behind your knee (he’ll have to come back to you to get it).
If “Be a tree” doesn’t work, add “Penalties”.
If he continues to pull as you perform like a tree, back off slowly with gentle pressure on the leash to get him further away from the target. This teaches him that his pull will make the good go further. When the lanyard loosens, say “Yes!” and see or forward to the item he is interested in as his reward.
Help your dog achieve success
Sometimes you’ll be rushed (or distracted), or your dog is so overzealous or overwhelmed by certain distractions that either one of you won’t be able to practice a successful walk. . In these cases, using a humane walking tool for your dog (such as a Halti/gentle leader or harness) can help them succeed and also prevent your dog from falling behind. with previous lessons.
It also helps if you realize that dogs are difficult to sniff and if you don’t allow them to, they can become frustrated and agitated. Create a sign that you periodically use, such as “Go Sniff” to allow your dog to investigate a particularly interesting smell, a person they would like to visit, or a dog they would like to say hello to ( provided it is appropriate to do so).
It’s best to start off with short workouts (5 to 15 minutes) and end it when you’re having some success and are both having fun (yes, walking will be fun! ). Dogs thrive on positive experiences, and they repeat behaviors they find rewarding. If your dog knows that polite walks turn you into a food dispenser and give him the opportunity to walk and smell comfortably, your dog will learn to walk happily around. next to you.
