# Walking on a leash



## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

I don't know much about dogs. From what I've read and researched, dogs should walk either beside or behind their human while they are on a leash, with the leash loose. 

Every where I look, with the retractable leashes, the humans let their dogs sniff and lead the way. Of course, they are not struggling, tugging, or pulling, and the dogs and owners look happy enough. 

What is the proper way to walk a dog? And is there a difference maybe between "walking" and just taking the dog outside on a leash to conduct his business? 

Maybe these people with the retractable leashes know something I don't.


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## Luciledodd (Sep 5, 2009)

I don't use a retractable leash unless I take Rosie outside the fence to let her explore. She is so good that I can drop the leash and she will not drag it. the slightest pressure and she stops. But if we were walking along a sidewalk or anywhere for exercise, I use a regular leash and she walks beside me at all times.

I would never use a retractable leash until the dog was trained correctly on a regular leash.


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## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

I won't be using a retractable leash with my dog, Sergio. I've just not ever read any where that it's best if the dog leads the human when walking. Everyone here where I live seems to be using a retractable leash and letting their dogs lead the way. 

I'm a bit insecure as a new dog parent. I live in an area with a lot of dog parents. I feel scrutized in a way, like I don't know what I'm doing. However, my gut instinct tells me that a lot of these people probably don't know what they're doing with their dogs, either.


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## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

Have you ever seen the invisible dog on the leash? Those leashes you can buy at amusement parks?










When I walk Sergio, that's how light he feels on the leash. He usually just walks beside me or behind me, without struggling, tugging, or pulling. Sometimes he does get stubborn and will just sit down on the sidewalk if he wants to go one way, and I want him to go another way.

I have him in a nice soft leather harness, a Buddy Belt. He seems to like it.


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## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

Michele, You are so right, there are lots of people who don't know the right way to walk a dog, a loose leash on either side of you (left if you do obedience etc.). The retractable leashes can be dangerous esp. with big dogs that are untrained, sometimes the owner gives them too much lead and other times the part that lets them lock and pull back breaks. When I walk with my dogs I don't have to watch them, that way I can watch out for the other dogs.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I agree with Lucile. I wouldn't use a retractible leash on a dog who wasn't already well leash-trained. They can cause AWFUL accidents. We don't have a fenced yard, and we have coyotes, so Kodi can never be off-leash in the dark, (or even dusk) even though he's reliable about staying close and coming when he's called. Because of this, I DO use a retractible leash, but ONLY for pottying. But that's not really "walking"... it's more "wandering" a bit until he finds the perfect spot!<g>

As far as walking on leash, Kodi does formal, competition obedience, so he knows very well how to maintain a perfect "heel" position. But I honestly don't expect that of him on a casual walk. Where I want him to be depends on where we are and what is going on. If we are in crowds or on the edge of a busy street, I want him right by my side where he won't get stepped on, hit by a car or grabbed by an unruly larger dog. If we are walking in a less crowded area, I am perfectly willing to let him walk out in front of me, which he often likes to do, leading the way with his little flag of a tail!

What I DO insist on is that he not pull on the leash. He doesn't have to maintain that "perfect" j-loop leash required for formal obedience, but I don't want anything more than the lightest amount of contact on the leash. Unfortunately, walking in front makes some dogs want to pull. It make MOST young, untrained dogs want to pull. For his first year, Kodi NEVER got to walk out front, because he couldn't handle it without pulling. For his second year, he could do it SOMETIMES, but if things got more exiting, he had to be back at my side, where I could remind him not to pull. It has taken a long time of patient work, but now he is a delight to walk. We are perfectly in sync with each other, no pulling, and he takes subtle cues from the leash to be able to tell where I want to turn. I don't even think about it... he just turns when I do.

Oh, incidentally, I use a no-pull (Sense-ible brand) harness for casual walks, even though he doesn't pull. That way it is clear to him from the moment I attach the leash whether he is doing formal training or it's just a walk.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

curly_DC said:


> I won't be using a retractable leash with my dog, Sergio. I've just not ever read any where that it's best if the dog leads the human when walking. Everyone here where I live seems to be using a retractable leash and letting their dogs lead the way.
> 
> I'm a bit insecure as a new dog parent. I live in an area with a lot of dog parents. I feel scrutized in a way, like I don't know what I'm doing. However, my gut instinct tells me that a lot of these people probably don't know what they're doing with their dogs, either.


You are absolutely right that there are LOTS of dog people who don't have a clue what they are doing. It's WONDERFUl that you are asking the questions and trying your best to learn to do things well with Sergio. Don't let those others intimidate you!!!

As far as "never" letting the dog lead the way, that's, unfortunately, part of that out-dated "dominance" and "pack leader" mentality which has been thoroughly debunked. What IS important is that the dog learn proper leash MANNERS, which means NO pulling, paying attention to the person on the other end of the lead, no charging through doorways, no tripping people by darting back and forth in front of them, etc. It IS true that it is easier to control dog and teach these manners with the dog at your side. But once your dog knows those ground rules, there is nothing inherently wrong with allowing them to be in front of you on the lead. It's just that a lot of people (and dogs) don't get to this stage.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

curly_DC said:


> Have you ever seen the invisible dog on the leash? Those leashes you can buy at amusement parks?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is PERFECT!!! You are lucky that someone in his past taught him to walk so nicely!

Not sure why he's sometimes reluctant to go the way you want him to, but I hate the word "stubborn" when it comes to animals and kids. There is usually a reason they don't want to do something. I'd try to coax him gently in the new direction then give him a treat reward for even a step in the right direction. Another way to sometimes "unlock" in a situation like this is to purposely make a 270 degree turn the OTHER way, and move briskly in the new direction. (again, praise and treat when you've got him moving again)


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## curly_DC (Nov 27, 2011)

krandall said:


> I hate the word "stubborn" when it comes to animals and kids. There is usually a reason they don't want to do something.


You are absolutely right about the word "stubborn". I should remove it from my vocabulary. He usually sees something, even very far ahead, and so he doesn't want to walk in that direction. It could be another dog, a person jogging, a large puddle of water in the sidewalk. We could be walking along and then, he suddenly stops, and if I continue trying to move in the same direction I wanted to go before, he will just sit right down and stare at me.

He has been properly trained before, and I do sense at times he's trying to train me. He looks at me as if to say, "You're doing it wrong!"


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## heatherk (Feb 24, 2011)

I agree with everybody above that said that they would never use a flexi-leash until the dog has good loose-leash manners down pat. That being said, I find using a flexi-leash very helpful on our walks as I like to alternate between 'Walk' and 'Sniff' time. I use voice commands - 'Walk!' when it's time to start walking again, and I shorten the flexi leash and lock it and Ceylon knows that he is expected to walk right by me wherever I go, and then when I want him to go to the bathroom or just relax, I say 'Sniff!' and loosen the leash. 

Interesting - until I read what Karen said, "But that's not really "walking"... it's more "wandering" a bit", I didn't realize that is exactly what I do. I don't really 'walk' him, ever, with him able to go wherever he pleases. It's only when I stop that I let him 'Sniff!', and I may let him wander a bit and even follow him just a few steps if he wants to sniff a particular tree or something, but I never ever actually 'walk' him with the leash not locked...


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