Dog Walking: Who's Walking Who?

Taking your dog for a walk should be an enjoyable experience. No one wants to be pulled along, jumped on, challenged, or even embarrassed during the walk.

As a dog owner, I understand how quickly a calm walk can turn into a frustrating one over some distractions. Moreover, a lot of dogs will act differently when on leash vs off leash.  Our own emotions get transferred through the leash to our dogs. So when we are frustrated, anxious, or hesitant you will almost always notice a difference in the dogs behavior.

The best way to begin your walk is calmly. When it comes to dogs, far more can be achieved if we just remain calm and assertive. Sometimes, this is easier said than done, but when it comes down to it, the more relaxed we are, the more likely dogs will be to behave and listen. Also, your dog should be regularly exercised to avoid excess energy during walks.

You have to be fair to your pet, if they have not gone out for a walk or have not been exercised recently, you can anticipate them to have more energy on your next walk. One way to help take their energy level down a bit is to put them on the treadmill beforehand to allow them to expel some pent up energy, or have them wear a back pack. You can add some weight to the pack but I recommend no more than 10% of their total body weight. I like to use water bottles to add weight which gives them a sense of purpose during the walk.

I notice a majority of people out walking their dogs allowing the dog to lead. A common misconception is that they feel the walk is the dogs time to "be a dog." Unfortunately, this is not true. Your dog gets to "be a dog" all other times of the day. The walk should be yours. Ideally, your dog should be walking by your side or behind you, but never in the lead. By creating this structure you will also be giving your dog a sense of purpose and a job. Giving dogs jobs also means they are getting mental stimulation which will tire them out more than if you were just exercising them physically. What many people don't understand is that dogs actually WANT to work, and the walk should be part of their job.

Another common mistake people make when it comes to walking their dog is collar selection. Certain collar styles or tools just mask the problem and don't fix it. Some examples are:

• Harnesses
• Head collars
• Prong collars
• Retractable leashes

Some of these tools can even create worse problems. For instance, using harnesses (even those marketed as no pull harnesses) with dogs can actually encourage them to pull more. Harnesses are largely used for dogs TO PULL. Sled dogs use them as do weight pulling dogs and dogs that pull carts.  The strongest part of a dogs body is around their chest and base of their neck. You will have less control of them when using a harness or even a loose collar that slips down, like a choke chain.

On the other hand, head-collars are designed to control the dogs head. These can physically injure a dog and make a bad situation worse. If the dog lunges forward, our natural reaction is to pull back. In a situation where owners react quickly and jerk the leash back, the dogs neck can get strained or even break!

As for prong collars, I feel they are only rarely necessary and largely misused. Prong collars were designed to mimic teeth. Dogs correct each other with their mouth. This style collar mimics a dog-like correction, however many people use them when they are not necessary or use excessive force which can injure the dogs neck. Again, this tool will only mask the problem without fixing it, and if a standard collar is used the problem will most likely persist.

Another common tool a lot of people use is a retractable leash. Not only do these leashes give the owner no control, but they have also caused injuries to some dogs and owners themselves. There was even a recall on retractable leashes due to injuries. My mother got burned by one of these leashes when her dog saw a squirrel and proceeded to chase it. The leash rubbed up against my moms arm and left a nasty burn! Needless to say, she no longer uses them.

The best way to achieve a structured walk is to start training immediately. Whether the dog is a puppy or an adult, you should always make yourself the alpha (or leader) and conduct a working walk right away. This will make training them and giving them other boundaries much easier. They will be less likely to challenge you when you need to have control of them.

A reliable tool I recommend for training your dog to walk properly is a slip lead. This is a leash/collar combination that is designed to stay at the top of their neck. The top of a dogs neck right behind their ears is the most receptive part of their body for correction. Another good option is a martingale collar which is designed to release after each correction. Many people forget the release is just as important as the correction itself.

So next time you take your dog for a walk, keep these things in mind:

• Keep calm.
• Use a proper collar.
• Mental stimulation is just as important as physical (also refer to my for more information about mental stimulation).
• Don't forget to release after every correction.

Christina Kirkwood is a co-owner of on West Street. For more about , visit the business website or follow them on Facebook.