Whenever I see someone out walking their dog on a retractable leash I am tempted to speak up.
To begin with, who dreamed up the idea that a dog preferred to walk 20’ ahead of their owner? I would venture to say that if I invited a friend to go for a walk and then proceeded to walk 20’ ahead of them they would think I was rude.
Whether you are walking with a friend, spouse or your canine companion, isn’t the idea of walking together a sharing experience? Personally when I walk with any of my dogs I always enjoy the interaction. It’s safe to say that if they were 20’ ahead of me there would be little if any interaction.
Even more disturbing are the dangers of walking your dog along a busy street with a retractable leash. In the event that your dog spots something across the street of interest there is a strong chance that you would not be able to reel your dog in before he found himself in traffic. I personally know of several devastated dog owners who have lost a beloved friend this way.
Loose leash walking is not difficult.
It’s a skill that simply takes a little training for your dog and consistency on your part. You will find walking beside a dog who is not pulling and who is “with you” rather than 20’ away from you is far more rewarding and only builds a stronger relationship.
Let us do the hard work and teach your dog how to walk properly on a leash and teach you how to generalize the skill into your daily walks.
For more information on how to train loose leash walking through positive reinforcement, please give one of The Dog Knowledge trainers a call at 704-365-1892, and we are more than happy to help.
