Walking Tactics!

I had given up on the blogging, because I had so many changes in life the blog sort of took a backseat, but fortunately all has settled (somewhat), and I am back to blogging! I am sure all of my 2 followers are absolutely thrilled! Let's jump right back into the saddle.....

The Walk

For the past year Willie and I have walked every day at least twice a day, sometimes three times per day. Rain, snow, wind, cold etc did not stop me from taking my pup out for a stroll. It has helped Willie and I build an excellent bond, and has also kept him fit, and not so crazy when it's time to relax.

Many of my neighbors have confessed that they just do not want to bring their pooches out because they are either, pullers, aggressive towards other dogs, or just crazy all together.

On that note I just want to say to all the doggy moms and dads out there....a dog needs to get out of the house, and needs to be walked on a daily basis. It helps build there confidence, and also helps to socialize them by exposing them to many different situations. Just remember your first time out may not be perfect but there are trainings that can help your dog behave properly when out for a walk, and remember it all starts before you even walk out the door.

I will give you some pointers based on what worked for me and willie. Keep in mind each dog is different, and you may need to switch up the training to suit you and your dogs needs.

Pointer number one:

Before even attempting to leave the house your dog should have learned all of the basic commands including "leave it" I firmly believe the "leave it" command should be added to the basic list of commands that every dog should be taught. This command will come in handy when there is an object on the ground that your pup wants to pick up and eat, but it may be dangerous for him to do so. The catch is you must see the object before your pup focuses in on it, and assuming you've taught him the command at home; you would state "leave it!", and hopefully he/she listens and just walks right on by said object!

Pointer number two:

Now that we've established the importance of basic commands we can move on to getting that pup out and about. First and foremost is to make sure your pup is calm and in a sitting position before stepping out of the house. Remember patience is the key. Once you've gotten the leash on and you are standing by the door "wait" for your pup to sit his bottom down and settle. This could take a minute if he has already learned this, or it could take 10 minutes if he's a newbie. This is where that sit command comes in handy. You can tell your pup to sit (only once), and then wait for him to sit. Once he is sitting take the time to get out the door in a calm manner. This will make your walk much easier. By using the "wait" command get your pup to sit calmly until you are able to open the door without him bolting. At which point you can release him/her from the sit position with an "ok", or whatever word you choose. This again can be modified depending on your dog. And always remember to be positive, and even reward with a treat to reinforce the good behavior.

Pointer number three:

Now that you've made it out of the house the goal is to keep fido from dragging you down the sidewalk. The minute your pup pulls say "Ooops', or "Uh-Oh" and turn around in the other direction walk for five paces, and then turn around the other way, and continue on. Repeat the above steps until your pup is walking like a champ. (If your dog is food motivated the training might go a little quicker with some sort of treat, and or lots of praise, or even a ball to carry with him. Anything that reinforces the good walking!) Keep in mind your first week out may only get you a couple houses down, but don't give up. And remember to make it fun.

The above pointer will take months to master, but do not get discouraged because in no time you will have a pup that is walking tall next to you.

**Keep in mind that every dog is different and may require extra training techniques to deal with leash grabbing, inattention to you, barking at other dogs in the neighborhood, etc....

Willie was relentless with the leash grabbing. He still attempts to snag on to it, but with a quick "enough" he does drop it pretty quickly. I've found that this usually means he is bored, and is looking for some sort of entertainment. I usually bring along a stick, or some other toy that Willie can carry for the rest of our walk. This seems to work. I will say that Willie has not perfected the walk, but he is getting there. I am sure by the time July roles around he will be walking like a pro!

**If your pup is anything like crazy Willie ( I firmly believe he has dog ADD), patience is the key. Terriers love to chase little furry things, they love to run, jump, and such. It might help to play a little in the house or perhaps in the yard before you attempt to walk your little monsters. This way they may be a little tuckered out, and hopefully more attentive while walking. I find with Willie that keeping his attention on me is still very hard. I've been working with the "look" command quite a bit lately, and that has helped a little bit, but I know that with Willie's attention span my daily trainings will probably take a little longer than others, but I am not going to give up!

Remember: Patience, patience, and more patience!