Walking with your pup can be really exciting if your dog learns to walk beside you. However, several factors can make your pooch disobey your commands. It’s essential to figure out the reason that’s causing your dog to wander-off before training your pup to walk properly. Read on to know the causes of disobedience and different ways for training your dog to walk beside you.
Why Does My Dog Pull the Leash?
Dogs can pull their leash for many reasons. Some of them are biological while others are social. Some of the most common reasons for leash pulling are listed below.
Dominant Nature – Puppy Leaks mention that many dogs try to dominate their owners because it’s in their nature. They like to walk fast and will pull the leash if you are walking slower.
Pleasure – Dogs love to explore their environment and will want to run everywhere when they are on a walk. The leash limits their movement and they will try to free themselves by pulling on it.
Distraction – Dogs can be easily distracted by catchy objects, such as bright colors, beautiful sights, edibles, people, and other canines. If your pooch has seen any of these distractions, he/she will pull on the leash to move in that direction.
Tips to Make Your Dog Walk Beside You
If you own a stubborn dog who gets easily distracted by the external environment, training him/her can be quite difficult. However, Cesarsway suggests trying the following tips to train your dog to walk beside you.
Use a Leash – It’s an absolute necessity to have a lead if you want to control the direction of your dog’s walk.
Try a Short Leash – It’s difficult to keep your dog close to you if you are using a long leash. This is because it gives your pup the freedom to walk away. With a short leash, you can make sure that your dog is walking beside you.
Use a Full-Body Harness –A comfortable full-body harness makes it much easier to make your dog walk beside you. Harnesses are also perfect for handling large dog breeds.
Reward Your Dog – If your dog follows your direction, reward your pooch to reinforce the behavior. For example, you can reward your canine by freeing him/her for a while or give him/her some tasty treats.
Be Consistent – No one can learn a new thing abruptly and your pup will also need some time to get trained. Don’t change your methodology during the training and your dog will eventually learn to walk according to your directions.
How to Train Your Dog to Walk Beside You?
It can be extremely frustrating when your dog disobeys your command during a walk. Not only will he/she annoy you, but your pooch may also disturb other people and it will be quite embarrassing. To avoid all this fuss, you must train your dog to walk beside you. A couple of methods that can help you achieve this goal are as follows.
Walk at Your Side Method
In this technique, we use tricks to teach your pooch to walk beside you.
Select a Side – It may seem like a trivial thing, but choosing the side on which you want your dog to walk is important. Once you have selected the side, you must stick to that side in every training session. Most owners choose the left side, but you can also go with the right side if it suits you.
Use a Standardized Leash – Choose a standard leash (that is neither too long nor too short) to train your dog. It should help you to maintain control over your pup and simultaneously give some room to your dog.
Entice Your Dog – Show a treat to your pooch to compel him/her to obey you. If he/she follows your instruction, give the treat to him/her as a reward.
Repeat the Training – Try to practice the entire training at your home before going out on a walk. You can use the garden or even your room for it. Hold the leash in your hand and teach your dog some useful commands, like ‘come’ and ‘sit’.
Going for a Walk – When you feel that your dog is fully trained, take him/her out for a walk. If he/she follows your instructions and behaves nicely, give him/her a treat for every successful command. Repeat this a few times to ensure that your dog is ready to walk beside you.
Take Off Methodology
In this method, we frequently change directions while walking with our dog to train him/her.
Hook the Leash – Hook your dog to a leash and call out his/her name. Now, walk away in speed and your pooch will follow you because of the lead. If he/she continues to walk beside you. give him/her a treat.
Lure Your Dog – If your dog doesn’t follow you, slow down your speed and give him/her a treat. Tap his/her back and call out your pup’s name to grab his/her attention. Once your do dog is in position, choose your side and repeat the “Hook the Leash” step.
Alter the Direction – When your dog starts to walk beside you, it’s time to change your direction. Walk in circles or in several different directions to teach your pooch the real lesson ofthis exercise.
You will need plenty of practice to train your dog because sniffing and wandering are the natural desires of canines. Always remember that only practice can make your pooch perfect.
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