Walking dog correctly!
May 22, 2011
Joyce Kesling, CDBC, Professional Dog Trainer
Incorrectly walking dog!
Let’s talk about dog leads since owners’ choice continues to be detrimental to the public. First, not only has my personal experience affected my opinion, the majority of professional dog trainers and those specializing in dog behavior do not recommend retractable leads. Second, the Journal of Veterinary Behavior Clinical Applications and Research and the Official Journal of the Australian Veterinary Behavior Interest Group, the International Working Dog Breeding Association, Companion Animal Behavior Therapy Study Group, European Society of Veterinary Clinical Ethology all agree and published opinion regarding the use of Flexi leads can be “problematic or become problematic when used incorrectly.” However, they acknowledge owners “might not think so at the onset.”
According to the Journal Veterinary Behavior, “Flexi leads are not training tools.” They further say, “if the dog does not know how to walk nicely on a lead, he will not learn using a Flexi lead alone.” Additionally, according to veterinarians interested in behavior and dogs ongoing welfare say, “Flexi leads allow dogs to explore with overt supervision and without the attention of the client.” The dog can become a “victim of another dog, a bicycle, or a car.” The most glaring problem is these careless and thoughtless owners could “injure someone that he or she trips with the lead…turning a corner or lunging through crowds” and or other individuals and dogs! The handle is difficult to hold, can be pulled from owners hands, and “become an airborne weapon” that not only damages the dog and its future behavior, but “also another individual.”
Example, good and bad behavior between humans and dogs!
Darwin and I nearly had a perfect two hours at the park. This included a loose Labrador running toward him before we even got started, positive social outcome, no screaming, no yelling, both dogs friendly and walked away after doing what dogs do, he met a 13″ 2 year-old Beagle both on leads (Darwin long line), another positive dog dog social experience, the little guy even jumped in Darwin’s face! I also had several positive conversations with other dog owners without dogs. It really is hard sometimes to take your dog out simply to enjoy a park setting and getting in a bit of training! The nearly perfect day ended on our way out of the park, two women, four Dachshunds, all on Flexi leads charged at us barking and lunging from behind a hedgerow and I am riding my bike!
Life is still good Darwin seemed unaffected. However, we had to endure one of the two women, out of control, screaming and yelling, even after Darwin moved away, I put my bike down, retrieved him as she continued to accuse him of “attacking” her dogs and “biting” one. When asked about the so-called bite, she could not be honest with herself when I continued to pursue her alleged accusation that Darwin actually bit her dog. She could not even accept or understand when I suggested her screaming and yelling was not helping, nor could she accept her own dogs actually provoked the incident because they were allowed to lunge and bark at us as we attempted to pass on the sidewalk.
It’s also discouraging when pet owners prefer to ignore their own part and/or responsibility to manage and keep their own dog/s under control. They can’t even accept and/or recognize a professional dog person when they see one! Do they have personal issues, lack of confidence, insecure about themselves that they refuse to acknowledge someone might be more knowledgeable in those situations to listen?
I had successfully biked my dog, two laps around the park, worked him, sniffing and heeling, taking breaks and all the other positive interactions until we came upon her! How can this be? Not even the woman accompanying her acted in the same way! What are Darwin and I to think when we see not one, not two, but two women with four dogs all on flexi-leads lunging and barking at us? These four dogs were giving threatening signals and the screamer could not understand this! I had to make a split second decision, allow my dog to pull me down on the bike or let the lead go, the safest and best thing was let his lead go. He corrected the most obnoxious offender, and moved away from them!
All one can say fellow professional dog trainers and especially those of us specializing in dog behavior have a lot of work to do. We need to educate dog owners about not just their dogs’ behavior, but their behavior, their misunderstanding of dog behavior, their lack of training, their use of inappropriate equipment. One of the most common complaints from professional dog trainers IS the owner’s behavior. Unfortunately, these incidents will continue to lead to unnecessary and negative experiences for everyone involved! These situations not only affect our dog’s future social behavior, but their dogs as well. As we allow the public to marginalize professional dog trainers from those that are not and those who can help from those who can’t, we can all expect dog ownership to become more and more negative because these inexperienced irresponsible dog owners continue to ignore their own responsibility.
Does size matter?
Most professionals acknowledge size does matter. However a dog owner in public with untrained, unmanaged dogs, using ineffective and inappropriate equipment (see above) size doesn’t matter. If a problem arises between dogs, the unruly, untrained, insensitive owner unable to manage their own dog, will more likely be at fault. These dogs can be identified without impulse control, versus the calm well-behaved adjusted dog! Dogs that lunge bark or otherwise communicate threatening signals, including direct eye contact, using no submissive signals toward other dogs are the problem. The dog in these instances is correcting rude and aggressive dog behavior. If the dog does not puncture the skin, leaves only a mild bruise and/or scrap, or insignificant puncture wound, your dog has learned appropriate bite inhibition and is not the problem dog!
So yes, size does matter, but so does the behavior presented by an offending dog communicating threat behavior using obvious signals that include lunging and barking. So if you cannot take your dog out into public, control any threatening behavior, this means, can you interrupt and/or stop threat behavior before escalating, then you have no business taking your dog for walks in busy public venues and/or near other dogs. You need assistance from a behavior specialist and/or professionally designated trainer.
Types of dogs
This can and does matter and why it is important to train correctly, socialize properly, and teach calm relaxed behavior. Again, if you cannot accomplish this on your own, get your dog help, a calm, well-adjusted dog benefits and you and/or your family will be appreciated in your community. I’m not going to delve into breeds, personally, “breed specific legislation” does not work, and it has been proven in studies. Dog ownership includes training, changing undesirable behavior, not just providing veterinarian care, food, shelter, and love!
The breed Dachshund encountered today!
I am not unfamiliar in the least with this breed. An aunt and uncle had a pair of Dachshunds name Hans and Fritz, nice German names! They were good dogs, at age nine they didn’t give me any problems walking them around the block. However, if you take the time to research breeds, before jumping into owning them, one might know according to Brain Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson, Dachshunds require “mandatory” and “early” training and socialization. They can “develop aggression problems with other dogs”…”snappy when held” and suggest we should not “baby” a Dachshund.
Regarding the essence of teaching cool, calm, and collected behavior, Kilcommons, and Wilson say, “once stimulated, don’t expect them to hear you or respond” and “tendency to bark.” Interesting, they also say they are “surprisingly tough dogs”…”snappishness, possessive aggression, and aggression toward other dogs are not unheard of.” Regarding living with children, they suggest, “older, calm children, with other dogs, they are best with “opposite sex” choice and be careful around “smaller animals or cats.” Their bite potential according to Kilcommons and Wilson is “moderate…snapping if physically harmed, frightened, or spoiled! They emphasize early socialization and not rewarding barking!
Of course, I have taken the Dachshund’s worst characteristics and noted here, however, based on Kilcommons and Wilson’s assessment of the breed, what Darwin and I experienced today, was the most undesirable. Whether the dogs were rescues, shelter dogs or purchased as puppies, this is not a legitimate excuse for their behavior toward Darwin and me.
After the incident, I had to analyze what happened and my equipment. The following video demonstrates using Gentle Leader vs NewTrix collar, coupled with tracking harness. There is a distinct difference, had I been using a Gentle Leader chances are I would not have had to let go of the lead to keep Darwin from pulling me down with the bike! I would have been able to turn his head away from the barking and lunging dogs and kept going!
Video!
We need to talk about dog leads and owner behavior! Just sayin!
References and Sources
Journal of Veterinary Behavior (2006). Advanced Behavior Course, North American Veterinary Conference, Post Graduate Institute (NAVC PGI), 2004¹.
Kilcommons, Brian and Wilson, Sarah, (1999). “Paws to Consider Choosing the Right Dog for You and Your Family”
Warner Books. NY NY.
Responsible Dog
Joyce Kesling, CDBC
Sarasota Florida
941-966-1188
Certified Dog Behavior Consultant www.iaabc.org
Professional Dog Trainer www.apdt.com
Quality 
Posted on May 22, 2011
0