Proper Walking Must Haves
Did you know today is National Walk Your Dog Day! Whether your pup pulls you down the street, chews at your leash, or does not want to move with you, at Little Paws Academy we can help.
The pet market is booming nowadays and with that boom comes a variety of many different pet products. We know that when you walk into a pet store it can be down right confusing to navigate. Often pet parents are unsure of what is the correct choice for their pup and rely on pet store employees to help them out. But not all pet store employees have training experience and we’ve seen it many time before where they have led a pet parent down an undesired path. So today, Little Paws Academy is going to give you our proper walking must haves before you head off to the store to make your final walking purchases.
Leash - A 6ft standard leash is the safest leash length to use when taking your pup for a walk. It allows you to easily shorten the leash for structured walking, but also allows you to easily lengthen the leash when you want to give her an opportunity to greet someone or explore the scents. When picking out a leash keep in mind the size of your pup. A big pup will require a large and strong clip. However, using that same clip on a small pup will weigh her neck down possibly leading to straining and injury.
Harness - There are many harnesses out there and they are not all created equal. We recommend you look for a harness that attaches in the front of your pup to make it easy for you to guide him along wherever you would like to go. It should also not restrict the movement of his front shoulders. Our favorite front attaching harnesses are as The Freedom No-Pull Harness or the Blue-9 Balance Harness.
Treat Pouch - Treat pouches come in all sizes. Depending on your pup’s size and the progression of her training journey will determine how many treats you will need to bring. We recommend getting a pouch that has 2 or 3 dividers for different values of treats, that is easy to grab treats out of quickly, and is big enough to hold all the treats will need on your walk plus some.
Your pup’s Favorite Treats - Every pup’s food preferences are different. Before you take a walk, your job is to learn what are his favorite treats, so-so treats, and just ok treats. Then, make sure you bring this variety of treats on your walk so you can reward him whenever he is walking nicely.
Please know proper walking is not just about the equipment you use and every dog has it’s own unique needs. The tools we list above are what we find is helpful for most pet parents and pups. If you have these supplies and you are still struggling to acquire nice walking with your pup, contact to us. We have individualize training programs and would love to help you and your pup learn more about proper walking etiquette.
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