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Dog walk etiquette part 1: What to do

By Jon Bastian
24
Whether youve mastered the
walk like Cesar or still have
issues with your dog, there are
certain dos and donts that we
should all follow to make for a
more pleasant, safer walking
33
experience.

It goes without saying that you should always pick up after your dog and
never go on a walk without an adequate supply of pick-up bags on hand. But
there are less obvious rules that, when followed, eliminate a lot of possible
issues and problems with other people and dogs you may encounter along the
way.

Related: Dog walk etiquette part 2: What not to do (/dog-

training/walking/dog-walk-etiquette-part-2)

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Do...

Know your dog: That is, you should know the sort of thing that might put
your dog in an undesired state. Does she have issues with people in uniforms,
like letter carriers or UPS drivers? Does she bark at or try to chase bicyclists
or skateboarders? Does she go nuts on sight of a squirrel or other dog?

In an ideal world, of course, you will work with your dog to eventually
eliminate those bad reactions, but in the meantime you can minimize them by
calmly avoiding situations that could trigger your dog.

Note the key word calmly. If you become anxious about a person or animal
approaching, your dog will sense this and possibly go into alert mode. You
need to train yourself to spot the situation without reacting to it, and then
change direction, move off of the sidewalk, or whatever else you need to do
without making a big deal out of it.

This way, to your dog, youre simply altering direction on the walk, nothing
more nor less.

Be aware of whats around you: Of course, in order to be prepared to avoid

situations that might set your dog off, you need to be aware of them before
your dog has noticed. Always walk with your head up and eyes forward,
scanning the area.

Not only will this help you to spot any possible things to avoid, but this
posture and alertness will help you to assume a calm assertive state naturally.
Your confidence will help your dog stay calm and submissive.

Dont forget that there are probably cars driving around near you because
your dog wont be paying attention to them. Being aware and staying alert is
the best way that you can avoid either of you being struck by a car that
suddenly pulls into or out of a driveway, or that doesnt fully stop at an
intersection.

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On a related note, its always a good idea to train your dogs to stop and wait at
the curb until you tell them its all right to go; you tell them that when you
step into the street yourself.

Learn how to read other dog

walkers: Not everyone out there is
in full control of their dogs on the
walk, and the walkers who arent in
control are also the ones most likely
to cause some sort of incident,
whether its dogs barking at each
other, jumping on or snapping at people, or getting loose.

It is an acquired skill, but with practice you can learn to tell whether an
approaching walker is in control or not. Is their dog walking next to or just
behind them, or is it lunging forward or pulling them off balance? Does their
body language project confidence, or do they seem hunched inward and
anxious or fearful?

How do they try to correct their dog? If theyre doing it very quietly or non-
verbally, then theyre probably in control. If theyre shouting, No! at their
dog constantly, then they arent in control but are very unstable energy
approaching. If you can hear them coming before you can see them, then its
probably best to cross the street or move up onto a lawn or driveway until
theyve passed.

Change course the right way: Having to avoid other dog walkers or
pedestrians is not the ideal situation, but it can sometimes be necessary to
avoid a confrontation. The important part is in how you do it.

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As mentioned previously, the trick is to make it appear to be just a normal

change in course on your walk. Do not abruptly stop and pull up on your dogs
leash, and do not yank your dog to try to change direction. If youre going to
cross the street, approach the curb normally, wait until its clear, and then
calmly cross the street with your dog.

If you need to use sound or a verbal cue to redirect your dog, thats fine. The
important part is that you do so calmly and quietly. Remember: Dogs
interpret loud human sounds as barking, and barking by one dog often
induces excitement in another.

Redirect when necessary: If you absolutely cannot avoid the oncoming

situation, then you need to redirect both your dog and the other party. Try to
move off of the sidewalk as far as possible, using your body to turn your dog
facing away, and allow your dog to lower her head; the grass may have
enough interesting smells to keep her completely distracted.

At the same time, give a friendly warning to the other person. For example, if
theyre walking a dog you can let them know your dogs issue She can be a
little leash-aggressive or He doesnt like small dogs.

If your dog might have an issue with a person, then something as simple as a
friendly, Hello! can help mitigate any problems by letting your dog know
that you arent threatened by that other person.

Read Dog Walk Etiquette Part Two, where we cover the donts of Dog
Walking.

More in Walking

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