Dog Trainer Liverpool

Our dog boarding service looks after dozens of dogs on a monthly basis. Part of the service involves giving your dog a stimulating environment with plenty of outdoor activities, so dog walks are a prominent feature.

All dogs, regardless of their breed or size, need daily walks. Whether you choose to jog, run, walk, bike ride or rollerblade with your puppy, it's an important ritual to keep your dog happy and mentally stable. puppies are natural walkers by instinct.

When owners return to our dog boarding service to pick up their dogs, we are often asked about behaviour. Some owners are surprised to hear that one of their most difficult discipline areas, the daily walk, is often not an issue when we look after their pets.

There can be a range of reasons why a dog's behaviour changes when they are separated from their owners and the family home. We asked two of our leading dog experts how they rein in any bad behaviour during a dog walk:

"Walk your dog, don't let your dog walk you" - Dog Behaviourist Manchester

 

If you let your dog walk in front of you when they are on a lead, this reinforces the idea that the dog is the alpha in the pack. Your puppy leads, so it believes it is the leader of the pack.

There are obvious behavioural disadvantages to this approach, but a dog walk where the animal leads also drains your dog's mental energy. The puppy is not relaxed, it feels a responsibility to lead the pack and that can cause anguish for your dog. If you return from a walk and your dog is hyper, running laps around the garden, then this is a clear indication that your puppy is not getting the right sort of exercise and needs to be led.

"Try pack walking" - Puppy Trainer Liverpool

Pack walking, where you take more than one puppy on a leash, is a great way to introduce puppies to one another or work with puppies that may not get on. It gives the puppies a pack mentality and helps to reinforce the alpha of the group. However, walking with a pack of humans can also help more unruly dogs.

Another person on a walk can have a calming effect on both the owner and their puppy. It instils confidence in the owner and their companion can offer reassurance if a stressful situation arises. It is also a great idea to attach the lead to a side ring on your companion's harness, giving the puppy a quiet and gentle physical connection to both humans. Make sure you, and not your companion, leads the puppy or you could end up in a doggy tug of war!