7 Tips to Keep Our Dogs Safe On City Streets

1.      Use a fixed-length leash.

 

 The use of a fixed-length leash is, without doubt, the most significant safety tool a person walking a dog has. Retractable leashes which are able to alter their length at the click of a button can alter the radius in which a dog can move. And that really defeats the most important reason for having your dog on a leash in the first place. Many of these retractable leashes have very thin cords which can possibly snap or become entangled with the holder of the leash causing in some cases very serious injury. These leashes normally have the ability to rewind if not in a locked state, which means that if accidentally dropped, they can automatically rewind causing the big plastic handle to fly uncontrollably towards the face of the dog. This at the very least can spook a dog and in so doing cause it to run in fright, whereas if a fixed length nylon leash is dropped accidentally it can be picked up quickly. Retractable leashes may be ok when giving a dog some independence when on a rural trail I don’t believe they are at all suitable for use when waking your dog on city streets. If however you still wish to use this type of leash when walking your dog in the city, you must use it whilst in a locked position.

 2.     Attach the leash to both a harness and a collar

If using a collar and harness, the dog’s leash should be clipped to both. This is a technique used by many responsible dog walkers because it offers a safety factor insomuch as the leash is attached at two points, some even use two leashes in case one fails. This may be considered a bit of a drag, but just think, it is far less of a drag than losing your dog.

  

3           If necessary, walk your dog with a muzzle

 

Should you have a fear that your dog may bite, or that your dog may eat garbage then it is important to purchase a muzzle. Many of us do not like to muzzle our dogs, but unfortunately our city streets may very well be places where the unexpected could occur and dogs which are afraid are far more likely to bite. If you feel that there is even the slightest possibility that your dog may bite another dog or person whilst being walked on the street, or even if you are worried that your dog may ingest cigarette buts or the like, then a muzzle is an absolute must-have.

  

4.               Select the path you choose to walk carefully.

 

You will know just how stressed you might feel when attempting to navigate your way down 6^th Avenue at lunchtime. Just try and think about how your dog is feeling trying to undertake the same at ankle level. To try to minimise the stress when walking your dog, choose walks along walkways that are as exposed as possible. There are just so many situations that can occur on city streets that might possibly startle a dog, many of which we are unable to control. The simplest thing you can try and do is to attempt to determine what is going to be the calmest route to take.

It is always generally better to walk your dog on the building side of the sideway, as opposed to the curb side, for if your dog does manage to get loose, it will hopefully give you a better chance of being able to get hold of him again, before it rushes into the traffic.

5.               Always ask your dog to “sit” at the curb.

Your dog may have a variety of cues for “sit”. One may just be the word “sit”, one may be a had signal and one most certainly needs to be a visual environmental cue. Every time when arriving at the curb, cue your dog to sit (use a food treat if needed, or no matter what is needed, get them to sit). Then you can reward with a food treat if needed  when starting out, or once the sit at the curb is mastered, the reward can be the chance to stand up and  keep on walking when you say “Okay.” With sufficient repetition, your dog will connect the curb with the act of sitting and it will no longer be a behavior that you will have to ask for. The objective here is that if your dog takes the chance to cross a street off-leash, it will first sit at the curb and await your signal to go again.

6.               Carry treats. 

When owning a dog, it’s not just a case of training your dog to conduct themselves correctly on the streets, you will find that you have to train people as well to behave correctly. Some people would never allow just anyone reach out and touch their dog saying, “would you allow just anyone touch a baby?” That may appear somewhat severe and I would like my dog to have the ability to socialize with people. But, I would like my dog to have the opportunity to socialize with people. However, I do believe that people today perform a wide range of inappropriate things whenever they greet an unfamiliar dog on the streets. They frequently get into a dog’s face, which is intrusive, or try to pick them up, both of which could be dangerous and most certainly is irritating to the dog. These people also squeal and kiss neither of these in the “dog world” is seen as a polite action. An easy way to politely prevent these types of interactions is whenever someone displays an interest in your dog, is to give them a treat that your dog likes and suggest that they offer it to your dog. It should be offered without your dog having to sit or do anything to receive it. They are  just being rewarded for good behaviour when co-existing with a stranger. This will assist in building a good interaction with that particular type of person, be they a boisterous child or a man with a walking cane, and it will allow the person a safe way to connect with your dog. 

7.     Communicate with others on the street before letting them or their dog interact 

        with yours.

Dog’s don’t talk, but we can. So just before you allow your dog greet another dog check with the owner if their dog is friendly towards other dogs. Unfortunately, that with a number of dogs on the street, safe leash meeting with other dogs just is not safe. Fortunately, that does not apply to everybody, but for safety just ask.  

When meeting just ask if it is alright if my dog says Hi to your dog. If the owner says “NO” it’s most likely that they are watching out for their’ s and your dog’s safety. That type of person is just being sensible.

Similarly, a lot of dogs just don’t wish to be stroked by strangers. The easiest way to judge if a situation is safe or not is to just simply thank people when they ask “May I pet your dog?” This behaviour by people should be rewarded, and by so doing more people will do it, and by so doing we will all be rewarded by building a world where we keep our dogs safe on city streets.