HAVING YOUR DOG LOOSE LEASH ON A WALK, OUT IN THE ENVIRONMENT, IS MORE THAN JUST EXPECTING IT. THERE ARE MANY PARTS TO THIS THAT NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD BY THE OWNER FIRST

●         IS YOUR DOG REACTIVE TO OTHER DOGS/ PEOPLE OR STIMULUS?

            YOU NEED TO WORK YOUR DOG FROM A DISTANCE AND DESENSITISE YOUR DOG TO WHAT YOUR DOG FEARS

●         DOES YOUR DOG FIND THE ENVIRONMENT VERY STIMULATING?

            MAYBE GO BACK IN SOME STEPS AND CREATE SOME CALMNESS FIRST. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU WORK OUT THE FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE FIRST. DEPENDING ON HOW STIMULATED YOUR DOG IS, YOU MAY HAVE TO DO FRONT YARD AND NOT EVEN GO OUT YOUR GATE.

●         IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP BASED ON RESPECT FROM BOTH ENDS OF THE LEAD?

RELATIONSHIPS TAKE LOTS OF TIME TO CREATE. THERE NEEDS TO BE CONSISTENCY. STRUCTURE. FAIRNESS

●         REMOVE EXPECTATIONS THAT YOUR DOG KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT OR MEAN?

YOU HAVE TO TEACH YOUR DOG WHAT TO DO. THEY DO NOT ALREADY KNOW. TEACHING TAKES LOTS OF CONSISTENT REPETITIONS

●         DOES YOUR DOG OFFER YOUR FOCUS?

CREATE A DOG WHO WANTS TO LOOK AT YOU BY CAPTURING THAT LOOK EVERY TIME YOUR DOG OFFERS IT. THERE ARE MANY FOCUS EXERCISES THAT YOU CAN TEACH YOUR DOG TO HELP THEM OFFER THIS BEHAVIOUR MORE FREELY AND READILY.

●         HAVE YOUR TRAINED IN A QUIET ENVIRONMENT FIRST BEFORE ADDING DISTRACTIONS AND DIFFERENT LOCATIONS?

I GENERALLY RECOMMEND BACKYARD FRONT YARD FOOTPATH THEN ADD DISTRACTIONS. EVERY PERSONS SET UP IS DIFFERENT SO THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION.

●         DO YOU HAVE PATTERNS THAT WERE ALREADY CREATED IN YOUR DOG THAT NEED TO BE RETRAINED?

IF YOU DON’T RETEACH YOUR DOG WILL CONTINUE DOING THE SAME BEHAVIOUR AS THAT IS WHAT IT KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS

●         DOES YOUR DOG UNDERSTAND LEAVE IT WHEN YOU ASK?

IF YOU WANT YOUR DOG TO WALK BESIDE YOU, YOU NEED TO TEACH THE DOG A LEAVE IT CUE WORD IF YOU DON’T WANT SNIFFING OR PULLING TOWARDS A TREE. REMEMBER YOU DOG IS A DOG AND WILL WANT TO DO DOGGIE STUFF.

●         DO YOU ALLOW YOUR DOG TO SAY HI TO EVERY OTHER DOG OR PERSON?

OVER TIME THIS WILL BECOME AN EXPECTATION FROM YOUR DOG. OVER TIME IT COULD LEAD TO DANGEROUS EVENTS AS NOT EVERY DOG WANTS A DOG TO SAY HI OR FRUSTRATION

●         DOES YOUR DOG TRUST YOU TO LOOK AFTER HIM?

DO YOU ALWAYS FOLLOW THROUGH WITH WHAT YOU ASK. WILL YOU HAVE YOUR DOGS BACK IF IT TURNS BAD. DO YOU CONSTANTLY BAGER YOUR DOG. ARE YOU KIND AND THOUGHTFUL BUT ALSO SHOW THAT YOU WILL LEAD HIM AND BE THERE THROUGH NOT JUST THE GOOD TIMES BUT WHEN THINGS GET SOMETIMES UGLY. DO YOU LOOK AT YOU BEFORE YOU BLAME YOUR DOG.

●         DOES YOU DOG UNDERSTANDS IF IT FEELS PRESSURE FROM LEAD HOW TO REMOVE PRESSURE ON ITS OWN.

HAVE YOU TAUGHT YOUR DOG LOOSE LEASH WALKING WHERE EACH TIME YOUR DOG TURNS OFF PRESSURE FROM THE LEAD IT GETS A REWARD.

●         DOES YOU DOG HAVE FEAR ISSUES?

DO YOU KNOW THAT A FEARFUL DOG CAN PULL OR LUNGE ON A LEAD? DO YOU KNOW THE SIGNS TO LOOK FOR THAT YOUR DOG HAS FEAR ISSUES. DO YOU KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY OR DOG OWNERS ARE UNAWARE OF FEAR AND HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE OF FEAR AND THINK THEIR DOG IS JUST BEING UNRULY/NAUGHTY.

●         IS YOUR DOG HYPER VILIGANT ON THE WALK?

THIS COULD BE FEAR/UNSURENESS OF ENVIRONMENT. FEAR OF NEW STIMULUS. UNSOCIALISED DOG TO NEW ENVIRONMENT. A SUPER EXCITED DOG. LEARN THE DIFFERENCE BY LEARNING YOUR DOG AND BODY LANGUAGE.

●         DO YOU HAVE A GOOD MARKER WORD FOR YOUR DOG. YES, GOOD OR CLICKER.

THIS IS SO YOUR COMMUNICATION IS CLEAR TO YOUR DOG. PRICISE TO THE EXACT BEHAVIOUR WE ARE WANTING FROM OUR DOG.

●         TEACH THE BACK COMMAND SO WHEN YOU ASK YOUR DOG TO RETURN TO YOUR SIDE, BACK OR HEEL THAT YOUR DOG UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU ARE ASKING?

MAKE SURE WE TEACH FIRST BEFORE EXPECTING OUR DOGS TO UNDERSTAND. YOU MIGHT RE USE THE WORD HEEL AGAIN BUT WHATEVER CUE YOU USE WITH YOUR DOG, MAKE SURE YOUR DOG DOES UNDERSTANT WHAT YOU WANT.

●         DO YOU HAVE THE PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT IT TAKES TIME TO CREATE A DOG TO WALK NICELY?

THERE ARE A LOT OF BABY STEPS FORWARD BEFORE YOUR DOG WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXPECTED. DON’T RUSH. I FIND A LOT OF PET OWNERS RUSH TO HAVE SUCCESS BUT FAIL IN DOING SO.

●         PRESENTATION OF YOUR REWARDS DOES MATTER. POSITION OF YOUR DOG ON DELIVERY WILL COMMUNICATE TO YOUR DOG.

REMEMBER THE POSITION THAT YOU, DELIVERY THE FOOD TO IS COMMUNICATION. YOUR DOG WILL LEARN BEING IN THAT POSITION HAS A POTENTIAL TO EARN A REWARD.

●         DO YOU HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DOG?

ONE BASED ON RESPECT FROM BOTH ENDS OF THE LEAD.

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

If YOUR DOG REACTIVE TO OTHER DOGS/ PEOPLE OR STIMULUS

IT MAY NOT BE AS CLEAR CUT AS YOU THINK.