Golden Retriever (Detailed Introduction)

        Some people always struggle with whether to let the dog walk in front or behind when walking. Actually, it doesn't matter if they walk in front of or behind you, as long as you don't deliberately restrict their movement and give them certain freedom. However, the freedom we talk about does not mean allowing them to pick up things from the ground at will. In such cases, we still need to discipline them.

        Basically, if the dog can walk freely and relaxed, whether it is in front of you or behind you is fine. But dogs usually run ahead of their owners because after sniffing a location, they move forward to explore further. If the dog stops to sniff, you can wait a while and let it finish sniffing naturally, then it will go to the next place on its own.

        Another thing to remember is not to hold the leash too tight. Often, when the leash is tight, the dog becomes nervous. They think they have done something wrong, which is why the owner pulls the leash tighter. Therefore, it is better to leave the leash a bit longer to give them more room to move freely.

        So as long as you give the dog certain “freedom,” whether it walks in front of you or behind you is fine. However, we should also observe their behavior in time. If you find that they are chewing things randomly or picking up food from the ground, you must tighten the leash to stop them immediately.