We all know as the days get shorter and the weather gets worse (although I'm not sure how true that can be after the summer we have just had) dog walks can sometimes be a bit of a chore. Hopefully the below hints and tips will help you to keep your walks interesting no matter what the weather has in store for us.
Integrate training into your walks
It is always worth remembering that whenever you interact with your dog they are learning from the experience. So it is important to get them learning what you want to teach them rather than letting them get into bad habits. Ensure you have lots of rewards for them when you go on walks so you can really work hard with them to get them to be the perfect dog on walks.
Getting your dog to listen to you
When your dog is out on a walk they are in heaven, there are so many things to sniff, wee on, look at, chase, dig, eat, swim in, splash through that you, the person who is with them all day every day pales into insignificance!
It is important to make yourself interesting and exciting so that you can compete with everything else which is going on around you.
It is also worth bearing in mind that dogs are not very good at generalising, so although your dog may have a perfect sit in the kitchen at home, this may not be so good in a field so keep up even your basic training while on walks.
Recall training
As a dog trainer, this must be one of the biggest issues I deal with a on a day to day basis. To have a dog you cannot trust off the lead is most owners fear, it confines the dog to a lifetime of lead walks. This issue is often compounded when the dog pulls on their lead.
To ensure your dog has a good recall, try to start the dog off the lead in a safe environment as young as possible. If you don't feel so confident, use a drag lead or training line which trails on the floor behind them and just gives you a little more confidence that you may be able to get them back.
Start training over a short distance and using high value rewards and gradually build up the distance and level of trust you have with your dog.
Checking in
It is important to teach your dog to stay near you when you are out and about on walks. The best way I have found to do this is to simply reward your dog when they are near you. Normally when they come to you voluntarily. I use this method a lot when I am out dog walking with a group of dogs. I carry a large bag of tasty dog treats with me and whenever a dog comes to 'check in' with me they get a treat (when I first take dogs out they get a treat every time but this lessens as I get to know the dog). Over time they will keep coming to see you, just in case you have something interesting for them!
Giving your dog freedom
I would always recommend giving your dog a couple of basic cues to perform before letting them off the lead. Cues such as sit, down, high 5, paw etc. This ensures the dog works for their freedom and just helps to get the dog used to listening to you before they go bounding off. I also tend to do a couple of quick recalls which are highly rewarded, within the first few minutes of letting the dog off the lead.
Hide and seek
To help your dog learn to keep an eye on you, occasionally hide behind a tree. Ensure you can see your dog at all times but they are not sure where you are! This makes your dog think that you may disappear at any time if they do not keep their eye on you.
Practice, practice, practice
Spend time on your walks building up the training you have done in classes or at home. Work on all aspects, including tricks and more advanced basics.
I hope this blog has given you some food for though on how you could make your dog more interested in you on walks, and how to have that perfect dog by you while you are out and about.
Integrate training into your walks
It is always worth remembering that whenever you interact with your dog they are learning from the experience. So it is important to get them learning what you want to teach them rather than letting them get into bad habits. Ensure you have lots of rewards for them when you go on walks so you can really work hard with them to get them to be the perfect dog on walks.
Getting your dog to listen to you
When your dog is out on a walk they are in heaven, there are so many things to sniff, wee on, look at, chase, dig, eat, swim in, splash through that you, the person who is with them all day every day pales into insignificance!
It is important to make yourself interesting and exciting so that you can compete with everything else which is going on around you.
It is also worth bearing in mind that dogs are not very good at generalising, so although your dog may have a perfect sit in the kitchen at home, this may not be so good in a field so keep up even your basic training while on walks.
Recall training
As a dog trainer, this must be one of the biggest issues I deal with a on a day to day basis. To have a dog you cannot trust off the lead is most owners fear, it confines the dog to a lifetime of lead walks. This issue is often compounded when the dog pulls on their lead.
To ensure your dog has a good recall, try to start the dog off the lead in a safe environment as young as possible. If you don't feel so confident, use a drag lead or training line which trails on the floor behind them and just gives you a little more confidence that you may be able to get them back.
Start training over a short distance and using high value rewards and gradually build up the distance and level of trust you have with your dog.
Checking in
It is important to teach your dog to stay near you when you are out and about on walks. The best way I have found to do this is to simply reward your dog when they are near you. Normally when they come to you voluntarily. I use this method a lot when I am out dog walking with a group of dogs. I carry a large bag of tasty dog treats with me and whenever a dog comes to 'check in' with me they get a treat (when I first take dogs out they get a treat every time but this lessens as I get to know the dog). Over time they will keep coming to see you, just in case you have something interesting for them!
Giving your dog freedom
I would always recommend giving your dog a couple of basic cues to perform before letting them off the lead. Cues such as sit, down, high 5, paw etc. This ensures the dog works for their freedom and just helps to get the dog used to listening to you before they go bounding off. I also tend to do a couple of quick recalls which are highly rewarded, within the first few minutes of letting the dog off the lead.
Hide and seek
To help your dog learn to keep an eye on you, occasionally hide behind a tree. Ensure you can see your dog at all times but they are not sure where you are! This makes your dog think that you may disappear at any time if they do not keep their eye on you.
Practice, practice, practice
Spend time on your walks building up the training you have done in classes or at home. Work on all aspects, including tricks and more advanced basics.
I hope this blog has given you some food for though on how you could make your dog more interested in you on walks, and how to have that perfect dog by you while you are out and about.
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