Let my dog walk in front of me?

Monday May 25th, 2009

Question:

I've heard that you should never let your dog walk in front of you. Is that true?

Answer:

Good question. Nope, it's more an old wives tale than anything else. Dogs pull because the sheer act of pulling pays off: They get to sniff and forage as you walk down a trail or the sidewalk. Even if they pull just a few feet (and manage a good sniff or maybe a chicken bone) pulling worked! So, because it works, dog continue to pull.

Teaching a dog to walk beside you is not a normal behavior for a dog; however, it can certainly be trained. And in many cases, fitting your dog for a head halter or a front clip body harness can drastically reduce the amount of pulling.

Leigh Siegfried is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer, owner of Opportunity Barks Behavior Training ™, and Co-founder of Mission Dog ™, a company committed to enriching the lives of dogs through educating humans.

Tags Dog Collars & Harnesses, Dog Training

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Nice info. What about if my dog does not want to take a walk at all ? And I have to pull the leash so he´ll move. What should I do, so he wants to take a walk with me every day at the same time?

over 1 year ago by Anonymous

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