Do you share your home with an adult dog who can’t walk with a guide? This is particularly common in cases of adult dog adoption, as many did not have the necessary care and had not gone for a walk before. Sometimes other problems, such as battered dogs, whose training can be more complex because of their fear and insecurity, are added to this situation.
In any case, daily walks are necessary for the balance and health of your pet. That’s why, in this Animal Expert article, we’ll explain how to teach an adult dog to walk with a guide.
- To teach an adult dog to walk with a guide.
- You will mainly need love and patience.
- Trying to make this learning a pleasant and pleasant learning for your dog.
- For the incorporation of new knowledge to be pleasurable.
- It must also be progressive.
- In this sense.
- The first thing you should do is get your pet used to the accessories that will accompany you during the walk: the necklace and the guide.
Start with the collar, don’t put it on until your dog feels enough, then you can put it on and leave it with it for a few days until you realize that it is no longer a foreign element for your dog. Now it’s the guide’s turn and, as with the necklace, you must first let it feel and get acquainted with its texture. We recommend using a non-extensible guide to facilitate control at least during the first walks to the outside.
Do not set the leash for the first few days, simply hold it with your hands and bring the dog’s leash closer for a few moments during the day.
It is essential that you simulate several walks inside the house before taking out your dog. To do this, you need to make sure your dog is calm before putting the leash on it. Once in position, walk firmly next to it, if you want to remove it, stop until it stops too. Whenever I obey you and behave the way you want, it’s time to use positive reinforcement to solidify learning. For a positive reinforcement, you can use different methods, it can be a workout with clicker or dog treats.
When simulating visits within your home, we recommend that a stopping point be the exit door. When you get there you should always ask your dog to stop and then reward it, it will be the most effective way to get out on the street, your pet should not go out first like you, because if it does it will try to mark the whole route. , something that is not part of the dog’s duties.
The first time you pass your adult dog away from home it is essential that you be calm before you leave. However, during the visit, you may be restless and nervous, this is a normal response.
As for how to drive and reward it, you should act as in previous situations where you simulate the walk inside the house. If the dog wants to take off the leash, it must stop until it also stops. Then it’s time to give you a reward.
The same should be true when the dog urinates or defecates outside the house, the reward should be immediate to understand that the outside is the place where it should do its needs. For more details, you can check out our article explaining how to educate a dog to meet their needs outside the home.
As a responsible owner, you must bring plastic bags to remove faeces from the floor.
This is a normal reaction in adult dogs that have been adopted and is usually a scary situation, probably caused by stressful and traumatic situations you have experienced before.
If you start teaching your adult dog to walk with a guide and doesn’t want to, you should never force your dog to walk if it is in this condition, as it would be a very unpleasant experience for him. What you should do in these situations is to excite your puppy first. Cheer him up with your voice (while holding it with the guide) to jump and walk around you, then show him a ball and play with it until you’re very excited.
Finally, let him bite the ball and have it in his mouth to channel all this energy of emotion. In the end you will see how the dog will be more predisposed to walk and quiet, this will be the ideal time to leave the house.
As mentioned above, to teach your adult dog to walk with a guide, you need a lot of patience and, although at first it can be difficult, the routine will make walking a very pleasant practice for your pet and for you.
Despite the difficulties, be sure to walk your dog daily, as the walk will be your main source of physical exercise, discipline it and allow proper management of stress. If you want to know how often your adult dog should walk and if it is better to do it after or before eating, do not miss our items.
If you want to read articles similar to, we recommend that you go to our Basic Training section.