Neighborhood Archives - Edie MacKenzie

Dogs need exercise, and the activity they love more than any other is walking. However, many dog owners shirk the responsibility. Perhaps they simply don’t have time, or maybe they don’t realize how important it is to walk their dogs.

Others give it a go, but give up after being hauled around the neighborhood one time too often by an unruly dog. If any of the aforementioned scenarios describes you, pay attention, because I’d like to share a piece of information that every dog owner should know.

“Dogs must be walked!”

Any dog trainer will tell you that daily exercise is a must for all dogs. For some, 30 minutes to an hour may be enough, for others 2 hours will just be getting started. But the point is they all need exercise, and walking should be the core component of that.

But dog walking involves more than a just leashing your dog and setting off. Some simple guidelines will make it a lot easier for you, and more enjoyable for the dog.

Here are some best practices you can follow;

* Don’t walk your dog during the hottest time of the day as they overheat quite easily. If you need to walk when it’s hot be sure to have some water along for the dog to drink.

* Don’t allow your dog to walk in front of you or he may get the idea that he is the pack leader and this will encourage him to pull. Always walk with the dog by your side.

* Don’t pull back on the lead because this will just encourage your dog to pull back. Try to always keep a relaxed grip, and if your dog does pull, stop and wait for him to calm down before continuing.

* Maintain control of the walk. Don’t allow you dog to dictate direction and particularly when to stop. Sniffing around and marking should only happen when you allow it.

* Where possible, avoid other dogs. You have no idea of another dog’s temperament and matters can quickly get out of hand. If your dog is small, pick him up if a big dog approaches aggressively, if you have a big dog just walk in a different direction and avoid a confrontation.

You also don’t know the health status of dogs you come across. An infected dog can pass on a serious disease to your dog.

* The right leash or collar. Pick a leash / collar combination that is strong enough to keep the dog in check, but still comfortable for him to wear. Also ensure that your dog wears his id tags. You never know when he might slip his leash.

If your dog does escape, the id tag will hopefully result in him being returned safely. For an extra level of security you may also want to have your dog micro-chipped.

* Finally, have fun! Walking your dog can be a really fun activity if you approach it in the right way. It’s one of the best ways of bonding with your dog, it’s an excellent work out for both of you, and your dog will be calmer and more obedient. All of that for just an hour of your time a day.

To find out more about dog training tips, dog breeds a-z, dog health and other useful dog info visit www.dogsanddogtraining.com

When your dog escapes to achieve social interaction in the neighborhood, the owner must establish a very strong leadership role or you’re end up with dog behavior problems.

This tends to fulfill its need for socializing within the confines of its own home, a step necessary for complete correction. This can be accomplished through basic obedience command responses, practiced daily over a 6-week period.

Some problems of this type have been solved by installing frosted glass in the dog’s favorite escape window, eliminating its view of the outside.

However, several dogs have switched to other windows when this has been done, so the owner must be prepared to face this possibility.

The more important adjustment is to eliminate the social gratification formerly sought, such as “bumming around.” If neighbors are feeding or otherwise accommodating the dog, their help must be sought to stop this.

It is always necessary to determine when the dog jumps out of a window. If it occurs shortly after the dog is left alone, the owner must leave the house, sneak back to the premises and apply some strongly distracting stimulus as the dog begins to prepare for the freedom leap.

In every case, a period of initial anxiety behavior, such as whining, pacing or barking, precedes the actual leap.

If the jumping occurs just before the owner arrives home, the owner should arrange to come home earlier than usual to apply the corrections.

Just as in barking cases, the distracting stimuli should not be painful, but should take the dog’s mind off its anxiety.

This may involve a rap on a door some distance from the escape scene, and even stomping on the roof while monitoring the dog behavior problems by listening through an air vent.

If jumping is associated with fear of surroundings, it is necessary to change the area in which the dog is confined (the simplest method) or to switch the dog’s emotional association with the area from fear to contentment.

This may be difficult because the fearful response usually occurs when the pet is alone; conditioning requires the presence of the owner or some other intervening factor.

However, if the dog has been severely punished in the area, especially at homecoming times, it is often practical for the owner to stop the punishment and virtually ignoring the dog behavior problems when arriving home.

Any interaction between the owner and dog at other times should consist of play, training work for command responses and quiet activities, such as just sitting around.

This sort of dog behavior problems correction takes several days to weeks.

Essential Dog Walking Information and Advice

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