JUNK WALKS

     There's a saying among runners training for a race, "don't do 'junk miles.' " While the term generates controversy among runners--with various blogs proclaiming that there are no such thing are "junk miles," that all miles are worthwhile, the term as I am using it here is just going out with no particular goal in mind, resulting in wasted energy, bad technique and perhaps injury.  The same thing can apply to walking our dogs on leash, especially puppies.

    What do we often do when we get a pup and first start taking the pup for a walk? Once we get the pup actually walking on the leash, which is no big deal for some and a completely  foreign concept to others,  we often don't mind if she pulls ahead of us and we follow her. In fact, I've read some books that suggest that we do this at first to get the pup used to the leash.  It's not the way I do it, but to each his own.

   Each interaction we have with a puppy is a learning experience for the puppy.  So when you get a pup, think about what this behavior is going to be like when the pup is grown.   I've even had complaints from Yorkie owners about their dogs pulling, so it's not just a matter of size. The easiest way to keep a pup from constantly pulling at the leash is to never let the behavior start to become a habit.

There are a number of techniques for teaching leash-walking, and I tend to use about all of them at one time or another.  I also do a couple of what I call "pre-leash walking" games, so when I do put the leash on the puppy, she's already practiced following me and thinks it's a fun thing to do.  On those first few months of puppy-walking, one of your main goals is to not let the puppy start pulling.  Often by the time I get a call from someone about their dog pulling them around, the dog's been practicing this behavior for months or maybe years. Just think about how many hours of practice the dog has of doing it wrong?  Then consider how many hours it's going to take to get them to stop. It's an ingrained habit, and we all know how hard it is to unlearn bad habits.

I have had some people ask me if their dogs can ever pull or sniff while on the leash. What I suggest is that #1, you decide when this will be and #2, put a word to these actions.  If you want to let the dog sniff, etc, put a word to it when you want to allow them to do it, and then when you want to resume regular leash-walking behavior, use your leash-walking word.  In the beginning, the dog won't have a clue what these words mean, but if you are consistent, the dog will learn the difference, and you will then have put those behaviors on verbal control

This doesn't mean you can't enjoy walking with your dog; in fact,  if you start right from the beginning, the walk will be even more enjoyable.  So go out and take your dog for a walk, you both will benefit from the exercise and mental stimulation.  Oh, and don't walk along while talking on your cell phone, you can't expect your dog to pay attention to what you're doing if you're not paying at least some attention to her.