Do you walk your dog regularly? How frequently, during those walks, is your four-legged friend walking ahead of you? If your answer is “always” or “very often,” then you may be teaching your dog bad habits, which could lead to more serious issues down the road.
Walking a dog correctly is the best way to ensure that you don’t run into problems and potential lawsuits after leaving the house. The correct technique starts at home, even before you take your first step out the door.
When you are getting ready to walk, it is wise to call the dog to your side, rather than walking over to him or her. Hold the lead out in front of the dog, but wait until the dog sits and is relaxed before snapping it into place. This is the first step in ensuring that your dog realizes that you are in charge. Even hyper dogs can be trained to follow simple commands, if they believe their person is the “alpha.” Once the collar and leash are in place, stand still again, until the dog settles down and be sure that you are the first one out the door.
In order to assert your dominance, snap the leash quickly whenever the dog begins to tug. This is not meant to hurt the animal, but only to show him or her that the behavior is unacceptable. Keep the leash short and loose. Other times that might dictate a snap of the leash are signs of diverted attention (i.e., stopping to sniff the ground or confronting a barking dog). The idea is to keep the dog at your heel, walking at a comfortable pace, and stopping together when necessary (at crosswalks, to talk to others along the way, etc.).
Teaching your dog to stay calm and to follow you is very beneficial. This will prevent your animal from acting as an alpha in awkward situations. A bite to another animal or person, slipping the leash, or pulling too hard on your arm could cause serious injury, lawsuits, or unfortunate consequences for an otherwise good dog.



















