7 Mistakes Walking Your Dog: Learn More

Whether in the park or on the street, your dog needs attention, delicacy and interaction with other pets. We should also avoid pulling the leash and educating him to stay calm, as anxiety is never beneficial. To avoid bad practices, know 7 mistakes when walking your dog.

In addition to taking care of their needs, dogs need to leave the house to spend their energy, get fresh air, socialize with other animals and exercise.

As owners, we often make mistakes when walking our dogs, in most cases, due to lack of information.

7 mistakes when walking your dog

Maybe your pet walks routine has been around for some time. However, there are some practices that are not good for the animal. Pay attention to these 7 mistakes when walking your pet:

1. Don’t let him sniff

The sense of smell  is very important for dogs, because thanks to it they can find their way around, find food, identify a person or even prevent a danger or threat.  When our dog smells garbage, feces from other animals or anything on the street, we automatically pull him by the collar.

However, you must allow him to smell what is around him and to have contact with the “scents” of neighboring dogs.  Believe it or not, this habit helps the dog understand the environment and feel more relaxed.

2. Do not collect feces

You forgot the plastic bag, you didn’t have time, you don’t like it, etc. Collecting our pet’s feces  is not the most beautiful task in the world, but we must do it to keep the streets and parks clean. In addition, by collecting the feces, you avoid the spread of disease, the bad smell and that someone who is careless can step on and get your new shoes dirty.

3. Pull the collar

Even if your pet is pulling hard on the collar, it won’t be able to get very far if you use counterforce to position it beside you. Dogs can be very stubborn! Also, some large breeds are so strong that they have the ability to pull the leash and people.

However, you should keep in mind that pulling your dog’s collar is not good for your health, as it can cause stress, throat problems and intraocular pressure.  How to avoid this situation? Teach him to always walk beside you by putting on a special harness or using an extendable collar.

4. Drop it in the park

One of the mistakes when walking your dog is to let him go when he arrives in a park or green area, to let him “run freely”.

It can be ideal when your pet is not doing very well or if you don’t get a lot of exercise, but it can also be a problem for other pets around .

This habit can be stressful to other animals, dangerous to children, and harmful to your own dog.  If he’s not calm, don’t let him go. Wait until he calms down before you can loosen him a little from the collar.

5. Don’t exercise with him

Why, instead of letting it go and letting it run desperately, you don’t exercise with your pet? You can start walking along some streets, jogging and, if that cheers you up, you can ride a bike and take your dog along at the pace .

6. Don’t let him socialize

A dog that doesn’t socialize is more likely to suffer from anxiety, fear or stress. Therefore, it is essential that he has contact with other dogs as a puppy. A park is the ideal place for this, but there are some “conditions”.

First, you should not force your pet to be a “friend” with other animals. They alone should approach little by little, smell themselves and feel at ease.  Maybe the first time they don’t pay attention, but on the next occasions they’ll recognize each other and even play together.

7. Not paying attention to the dog

The last of the 7 mistakes when walking your dog is one of the most typical: not observing his movements and actions. Chatting with other pet owners or using your cell phone are distractions that may not allow you to act in time if there is a fight or problem.