7 tips for crossing the road with your dog. How to properly handle your dog
Do you live in the city or do you frequently travel to places that
require you to cross the road with your pet? Your little companion doesn't know
how to cross without getting excited or you are simply afraid for his safety?
It is quite possible to teach a dog to cross the road with his master, at any
age. It is enough to put in place appropriate learning techniques. Discover our
7 tips on this subject.
Tip 1: be aware of the dog's abilities
The dog is unaware of the danger the road poses to him. He cannot
understand that it can have negative consequences on his health, whether it is
empty and unoccupied or whether there are many cars there. Some dogs are afraid
of the sounds of vehicles and will have the reflex to flee, even if it means
crossing any path, and others may try to tame them by facing them, which puts
them in danger.
It is important to be aware of this fact and not to think that the dog
will be able to wait on the sidewalk before crossing if it is not taught. But
he can learn that expectation and prudence.
Tip 2: guide your dog with a leash
Before you teach your pet to cross the road, they must learn to walk around town and follow you on a leash. Indeed, it is
impossible to imagine teaching him the safe crossing of the tracks if your
doggie does not obey you and does not follow you, or even if he guides
the walk!
So start by teaching him to walk, the closest to you, on a leash and
even without (taking care to teach him these techniques in secure spaces). Your
doggie must be able to walk with you, stop like you and start walking again at
the same time as you. This is how your pet will be able to cross the road with
ease.
Tip 3: teach him the "not move!
If the order "does not move! is very useful in everyday life, it is
essential to move around the city and cross the road. He must therefore be one
of the very first apprenticeships to be taught to the doggie from an early age.
So, whenever you have to cross the road with him, give him the order not
to move before taking the pedestrian crossing. Your pet will learn to stay
static, sitting (preferably) or lying on the sidewalk by your side, while
waiting for you to cross safely.
Tip 4: teach him to resume walking
Your doggie may already be able to get back on track after stopping by
your side, imitating, or on your order "don’t move! ”. This acquisition
is very important. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon for the resumption of the
march to be inappropriate. Indeed, when the animal has been forced to stop and
then respect your immobility or your order, it is often impatient to leave. As
a result, as soon as you start moving again or order him to start again, he may
suddenly feel free and run, which is very dangerous when it comes to crossing a
road!
The end of "not moving! should not, therefore, be experienced as
liberation, as an episode of celebration. Your doggie must absolutely walk
again in calm to avoid accidents and not run away to enjoy his freedom of
movement regained.
Teach him how to walk again in peace and for that, the tone of your
voice is very important. Be firm, with a voice not too sharp or too playful, and
tell him "at the foot! "to avoid triggering excitement. Also, don’t
pull his leash without paying attention to it to make him follow you, as he
might run to pass you. The step forward can be a calm incentive to follow you,
but do not let your toes out of your eyes to be sure that it passes through in
calm and without excitement.
Tip 5: to be consistent
Consistency is essential in dog
learning - as it is for children learning. For him to learn how to
cross the road with you correctly, you must show him the example to follow
constantly, because it is through imitation and repetition that he can
integrate the right gestures.
As a result, you must systematically
force yourself to cross in the same way, safely, with control and appeasement.
Always stop before crossing, look left and right, then cross the road in a
smooth, smooth, unhurried way. Always give the same orders with the same tone
of voice to your pet. It is in this way, through repetition, that he will
integrate this learning.
If you show him the example only a
few times, but on other occasions, you run across the road without stopping or
intimidating him with the same orders, he will not understand your teaching and
will see in your illogical attitude a total absence of meaning. Therefore, you
should always do the same, even if the road is empty and no car is visible on
the horizon.
Tip 6: training in a safe space
Walking in the city is very
particular for the dog and especially really dangerous. Between cars and larger
vehicles, pedestrians, two-wheelers, scooters, and other obstacles, the danger is
everywhere, for the animal and for others. It is therefore unthinkable to throw
the dog into this unsafe environment in to hope to teach him to move there.
To teach your pet basic orders and
walk in the city, you need to choose a safe and least stimulating place.
Find a garden, a field, a country path, a wood, or a park during the quiet hours
and learn the basic orders to your little companion. This is how you can teach
it to walk, to stop! ", the "foot! ", the "not move! and
all other necessary orders.
Again, be consistent, teaching him the same orders with the same words and intonation, always be firm and benevolent, and avoid external stimulations that might distract your doggie. Help yourself to sweets to reward him for his success. They are a precious help!
Of course, do not hesitate to seek
advice from a dog educator if this learning is difficult.
Tip 7: practice benevolent education
To develop effective education, you
need to be supportive and tough. Benevolence is an education based on positive
reinforcement that motivates the dog and aims to reward him for his successes.
Firmness is by no means negative, but the animal needs to understand your coherent and resolutely pronounced orders. Violence,
humiliation, brutality, punishment, and aggression have no place in animal
education. They are counterproductive and should be banned, as they run counter
to the dog’s well-being and respect.
You need to encourage your toy,
stimulate it and respect its abilities. Do short, 15-minute sessions, repeated
and regular to facilitate learning without exhausting your pet or losing focus.
Before proceeding to a new step, make sure that the previous steps are
well-acquired. You'll avoid going back.
Finally, be patient and kind. Keep
firm in your orders, but always with respect for your little companion. Healthy
and effective learning is also the key to a strong relationship, complicity, and trust between the animal and its master!