5 Tips To Showing Good Dog Walking Etiquette

Walking your dog is a paramount aspect to owning one. Before bringing a canine companion into your life, ensure that you will be able to give a good amount of quality time on a daily basis to taking your dog out and about to exercise, play and socialise. Walks also provide brilliant opportunities for some vital mental stimulation, too! Being responsible whilst walking your dog will help keep you, your dog, other dog owners and their dogs safe and happy. Read our five tips to showing good dog walking etiquette and ensure that your walks are always a positive experience!

Earl

1. Be alert and aware of what could possibly go wrong. Don't spend your entire walk worrying, but always keep an eye out for possible hazards. There is nothing fellow dog walkers despises more than an owner who is oblivious to their own dog's behaviour.

2. Know your dog. No one knows your dog like you do! Think - has your dog been known to show aggressive tendencies or behaviours towards other dogs or humans? Does your dog have a reliable enough recall for off lead exercise? Will your dog chase wildlife/cats/other dogs/humans/vehicles if exercising off lead? If so, keep your dog on a lead and/or avoid other dogs/humans. Allowing your dog to do things that could cause danger or bring up issues is unfair to your fellows. Studying your dog's daily behaviour will help to educate you on how he behaves and reacts in different situations.

3. Don't take risks. Having a dismissive attitude is just asking for issues to arise. All dogs need socialising, including older dogs, but if your dog can't be trusted in the company of other dogs, arrange for your dog to meet with a friend's dog that he knows well and behaves well with. Dog owners who act dismissively about their dog's behaviour often cause their fellows to feel at risk and/or unsafe in the environment. Carelessness in dog owners is something that frustrates me amongst others.

4. Look out for uncertain and/or uneasy behaviour in other dogs and nervous behaviour in owners. Often, problems lie with other dogs who are allowed an unsafe amount of freedom. Never let your own dog hassle another dog or person. And if an owner is uncertain or uneasy with his/her own dog, it may be because their dog is unfriendly or has shown negative behaviours previously. Respect this and move away. And remember, you never know how another dog could react to even a friendly or playful gesture from your own if you let your dog go and meet another. By all means allow your dog to meet his/her fellows, but always be cautious. Talking to the owner, or even asking them if it is OK if your dog says hello, before the dogs are allowed to mix is a good idea to prevent issues between the dogs. Hopefully, other owners will know their own dog and how he will behave in different situations.

5. Enjoy yourselves responsibly! Enjoying being out with your beloved dog will help you and your dog keep calm and relaxed. A calm owner means a calm dog, which results in fewer issues!

I walk Earl and Ethel mainly on lead. Due to them having quite profound Terrier instincts, and there being a lot of resident cats living nearby, I feel as though it is the safer option. Unfortunately, due to a negative experience with another dog when Earl was young, I am now uneasy when faced with another dog. Luckily for him, he enjoys the company of his fellow Agility dogs at our club. Ethel, however, loves meeting other dogs and is incredibly polite when interacting with them. I don't downright avoid other dogs with Earl, but I am incredibly alert and tuned in to his behaviour. I often restrict him from having the freedom to explore another dog. Ethel enjoys meeting new dogs, which is good for her socialisation as a young dog. Her friendly and sometimes submissive behaviour around new dogs shows how respectful she is. I only let my dogs off lead in quiet areas with no other dogs walking nearby.

Remain responsible while walking your dog and have a wonderful experience!

Rover.com is an awesome dog walking organisation that caters for the many needs of dogs owners and their beloved canine companions. It is a wonderful, reliable and helpful resource for all dog owners out there!

How do you walk your dog? Do you have any dog walking pet peeves?

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