Walking dogs is one of the responsibilities every owner must bear, but there are many common mistakes made during the process. Have you noticed them?

　　1. Taking the dog out for a walk at a fixed time every day

　　Of course, for busy office workers, taking the dog for a walk during limited free time is already admirable. Going out at a fixed time before and after work every day seems natural. However, do you know that this “good” timing habit does not benefit dog training at all, and only makes the dog more willful? Dogs are very sensitive to time. If you walk your dog at fixed times, such as 6 AM and 8 PM, within a week your dog will become sensitive to these times. At those moments, the dog will prepare to go out, and if you don’t have time, the dog will become restless and bark uncontrollably, disturbing neighbors. As a kind-hearted person, you fear upsetting neighbors and reluctantly stop what you’re doing to take the dog out. How enjoyable is this routine? Over time, the dog learns that by “forcing” the owner, it can get a walk anytime. The dog will use this trick whenever it wants to get its way.

　　Therefore, to avoid the above consequences, it is recommended not to keep dog walking times too fixed. Regardless of the time, the owner should decide when to go out, and the dog must cooperate. Even if there is no walk one day, the dog should stay quietly. This helps improve the dog’s obedience.

　　2. Walking + Defecation

　　Honestly, many people’s main purpose for walking their dog is to let it defecate outside, to keep the home clean. So walking and toileting are bundled together — the dog only goes to the bathroom when outside. Over time, the dog becomes unable to defecate unless taken outside. As a loving owner, worried about your dog holding it in, you take it for a walk to relieve itself regardless of wind or snow — what a misery!

　　Therefore, defecation and walking must be separated so the dog understands these are two different things. Choose a specific spot at home as the dog’s toilet and train it to defecate only there. This keeps the home clean and eliminates the above problems.

　　3. Dog pulling the owner while running

　　I raise a Husky, naturally strong-footed. When I first got the dog, I didn’t know better. Whenever we went out, before even leaving, the dog would excitedly charge forward while I was pulled behind — I thought, look at my sled dog, impressive! But over time, I couldn’t take it anymore, though the dog hadn’t even warmed up! Friends with medium to large dogs will share this experience, and many have been pulled down by their dogs. Gradually, the dog thinks it is the boss and you must obey it.

　　Therefore, during walks, the owner must assert leadership, and the dog must walk on the owner’s left side. Keep the leash loose; if the dog lunges forward, quickly tighten the leash and say “no,” causing sudden collar pressure. Over time, the dog will form a conditioned reflex to obey the command and stop.

　　4. Allowing dogs to mark everywhere

　　Dogs, especially males, tend to mark everywhere outside — on grass clumps, fire hydrants, seemingly never finishing. For dogs, marking is instinctive: they are announcing territory to other dogs! This behavior stems from dominance instincts. If the owner believes marking is natural and lets it go unchecked, the dog’s dominance instinct will expand. Dominance instinct and obedience instinct are inversely proportional. Actually, dogs feel relaxed and comfortable only when obedient to the owner. When dominance increases, their nerves remain tense, causing stress.

　　To make training effective, the owner must control leadership during walks and prevent random marking.

　　Summary: When it comes to walking the dog, we decide! (Source: PetsZone)