The Correct Way To Walk Your Dog

One thing that dog owners complain most about is the fact that their dog is dragging them down the street when they go for a walk. It's not only uncomfortable but it can actually be dangerous. Over the years I've seen people with hurt arms and shoulders as well as people that have been knocked to the ground. 

Now if you have a 3 pound Chihuahua that you take for walks this article probably doesn't have anything for you. However if you have a larger dog that is dragging you and making your walks uncomfortable then this article is for you. 

Let's start off by saying that you need to start training your dog when it's young and teach it to walk at your side on a loose leash. If you allow your dog to be out in front of you and pulling you down the street when it's young it will want to keep doing that same thing as it gets older. So teaching your dog the right way to walk on leash from the beginning is very important. 

Let's start off by talking about your leash. I always tell my clients if you have one of those retractable leashes go get it and let's throw it in the trash can. In fact I just spoke to a lady today whose dog got loose from her on a busy street because it broke the retractable leash. So go out and get yourself a good leash. Ideally you'd like a 6 foot leather leash because once it's broken in a leather leash is nice on your hands compared to the nylon leashes for example. If you have a leash it's made of chain that's something else for the trash can. Chain leashes can really hurt your hands and be very uncomfortable. 

So let's talk about where and how your dog should be walking. Your dog should be walking on your left-hand side and its legs should roughly lined up with your legs and there should be a small amount of slack in the leash so that it's not pulling you. A dog that walks in front of his master is a dog who thinks he's in charge. In order for you to be the alpha and the pack leader your dog should be walking on your side and not pulling. 

So how do you keep your dog from pulling? There are a bunch of different apparatus including special collars and harnesses that are supposed to keep your dog from pulling. However I say to heck with those contraptions and teach your dog to walk nicely at your side. 

Working with a good obedience trainer is an easy way to teach your dog to walk without pulling. So give your trainer a call and get him out there to help you train your dog to walk on a nice loose leash.

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