One of the most common situations in which someone might have a problem with their dog is on a walk. They might pull on the leash, chase after cars, run into the street, dig, eat food off the ground, or attempt to chase other animals.
Some dogs become quite aggressive on leashes as well, feeling the need to protect themselves and their owners. This is a prime example of a situation in which you need to take control and be the alpha dog.
Make time for your walks. A walk is an important part of the day for the bond between you and your dog. Make time and allow for a nice, leisurely walk. When you’re in a hurry or stressed about being late for work or hungry after you get home, your dog will feed on that anxiousness.
To control the overanxious desire to go out, you need to wait until your dog has calmed before taking them out. It will be nearly impossible to eliminate that instant excitement when it’s time to go out, but you can remove the excited, happy tones you use when you call them.
Don’t let them jump on you, bound around, bite their leash or bark when it’s time to go out. Hold your ground and be assertive until they sit and relax. Only then should you put a leash on. If they immediately grow agitated when you open the door, once again wait until they are calm and submissive.
Assertiveness is important. As a pack leader, you need to show that you know exactly what you are doing and why you are doing it. When you go outside, you should not let the dog pull you across the street, down side alleys, or wherever it wants to go. Letting your dog explore and sniff its territory is a good thing, but letting it control the walk is not.
Never rush. Whenever you need to do something outside, make the dog sit and take your time to calmly complete the task. This can be locking the door, picking up their poop, or getting into the car. Never rush or allow your dog to hurry you.
When you get outside, you need to take control of the walk. You should never allow the dog to walk in front of you pulling on the leash, because they are not following or paying attention to you. They are rushing forward to fulfil their specific needs.
For 10-15 minutes, force your dog to walk at your side, without sniffing, looking around, or barking at other dogs. You can of course let them relieve themselves first if it is necessary, but afterwards walk with them calmly for a prolonged period.
After the calm walking period, allow the dog to go ahead and sniff on their own for, at the most, 5 minutes. You should never allow the dog to walk in front of you without permission – this will make them think they are leading the pack. A trying experience can be taking your dog for a walk with another person. Often times, a well-trained dog will walk as they are trained when you are alone, but adding another person will bring out that desire to lead again. Don’t let them get carried away.
A good trick, when your dog is especially eager to pull ahead or is aggressive with other dogs or squirrels, is to force them to stop what they are doing and sit, paying attention to you. They should learn that, on a walk, the path to them getting to explore and sniff is to pay attention to you at all times. Fixation can result on things like squirrels, cats, or other dogs if you allow the benefit of the extra lead.
When you return from your walk, make sure the dog remains calm and submissive as you remove their leash and settle them back into the house. Many times, feeding a dog after a long walk is a good idea, though some dogs may prefer to rest first.
