Whether you just want to get out in the fresh air to blow away the January cobwebs or you are starting a new exercise regime, one of the reasons most people get a puppy is so they can go out and enjoy walks with their new companion.
But to enjoy national dog walking month it's important to put the groundwork in with your dog so that walks are enjoyable rather than a constant battle of wills.
Like any element of your training it just takes time and preparation.
So, what training does a puppy need to make walking stress free?
Heel work
Having a dog that walks to heel when needed makes life a lot easier. Like anything else though a puppy needs to learn what heel means and what position they should be in when you give the command. Here are a few tips:
Don’t be tempted to put a lead on and pull them in to a heel position and growl heel.
Decide whether you would like your puppy to heel on the left or the right.
Build things up slowly by coaxing the puppy into the heel position you want with treats.
Introducing the lead
Whichever type of lead and harness combination you decide on for your puppy make sure to introduce them slowly and make sure it is not a big deal. Heer are a few things to think about:
Introduce them to the puppy in the house before you even think about taking them out for walks.
Take them on and off and let the puppy get used to the feeling.
Don’t have a special word (walkies) for going for a walk to keep excitement levels down!
Loose lead walking
No matter the eventual size of your new companion you don’t want to be the person walking down the street with their dog. Cracking loose lead walking takes time and effort. What you can try:
If your dog is pulling on the lead stop and don’t go any further until the tension is off the lead. Wait calmly until the dog realises pulling won’t get him what he wants.
Or change direction if the dog is pulling one way turn around and go in the opposite direction.
Also try walking with your dog with the dog between you and a straight wall. If the dog tries to pull ahead of you gently place your leg in front blocking the way forward.
Recall
If you are walking your dog off lead then you will want to make sure you can get him back. Perfect recall takes time and effort, but it starts from some fundamental building blocks:
Have a recall word that isn’t the dog’s name so that they understand the word means come here to me now – come, here, in etc!
Start by using the word for recall every time the puppy comes towards you and reward them when they arrive.
As you progress your recall you will need to ‘proof’ or train it in each new environment and with each new distraction. Perfect recall in the house wont automatically translate to perfect recall in a dog play park!
As January progresses, I hope that you get out and enjoy your walks with your new puppy or your well-behaved older dog. All it needs is a little preparation!
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