Getting your dog to Walk Nice!

Taking your dog for a walk doesn't have to mean getting your arm pulled out of the socket. Your dog can learn to walk politely by your side. All you need is patience, training and treats!

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If you don抰 speak dog, that translates to 揇o you want to go out?擨t抯 a phrase that every dog knows, every dog owner says, and is followed (generally speaking) by jumping for joy, wriggling with glee, and barking with boundless energy.

Keeping the subsequent time as much fun is usually more difficult. Most dogs are familiar with two kinds of?揼oing out.?There抯 going out to 揹o your business,?which is its own art form and a subject for another day. The other is more fun, time-consuming, and depending on the dog, stressful in itself.

Every dog, regardless of age, size, breed or temperament can learn to walk nicely with her person. It does take some patience, some time, and a willingness to be more stubborn than your dog. If you refuse to be pulled along, eventually your dog will stop trying. Like toddlers who constantly test their boundaries, dogs will always try for a mile when they get an inch.

When you抮e teaching your dog to walk with you, don抰 count on getting anywhere. This is just a short exercise, not a way to get your fitness walk done for the day. You抣l need about 10 minutes, a pocketful of treats for your dog, and a six-foot leash. Make the treats tiny ?you抣l be giving a lot of them. Your dog should be wearing a flat collar or harness. You should be wearing comfortable shoes that give you excellent traction ?this is not the time for clogs!

Put your dog抯 leash on and head outside. Talk to your dog constantly ?you抣l feel funny about it at first, especially if you live in a busy neighborhood, but you抣l get over it. At least if you have a dog with you, people assume you抮e not talking to yourself.

Set out with a 揝tay with me!?or 揥atch me!??very positive and happy. If you抮e the most interesting thing around, your dog will pay more attention. Being the most interesting thing is easy if your dog is food-motivated.As soon as your dog looks at you ?give him a treat. Just for looking at you. It won抰 take long for Fido to figure out what a good thing he抯 got going.

Start walking at your normal pace. As soon as the leash tightens as your dog pulls away from you ?STOP! Don抰 say anything, don抰 tug on the leash, just stand still. As soon as your dog looks at you (trying to figure out what the heck抯 going on), give her a treat! Say 揋ood Watch!.?When the leash is no longer taut ?continue walking, even if it抯 only one more step. When the leash tightens, stop. When the dog looks at you ?give him a treat!

Be sure your dog comes to you to get the cookie. This way we make sure the dog knows being with you is wonderful, the leash loosens up, and you have some slack to start walking again. Be prepared to stand there for a while ?it takes some dogs time to figure out what you want, and how to get what they want!

Eventually even the most stubborn dog will figure out that being with you gets her what she wants ?a nice long walk and cookies! As your dog learns the exercise, space out the treats randomly. Dogs are eternal optimists and will always hope a treat is forthcoming. As long as they get one sometimes, they抣l hope forever.