Dog Training: Street Safety Tips
I get asked about training dogs on city streets so have put together the things that I work on with my own dog as well as teach in the Outdoor Classes that I run. It works very well for me and because of teaching my own dog the rules of the road. am able to walk her off leash on any city street since she knows not to go onto the road with out being given permission to.
I do however not recommend that you do this with your own dog.
Dog training is much more then just sit, down, stay and come. It should also include everyday safety behaviours such as not going onto the road unless released by owners to do so.
Every minute with your dog is a teaching moment and something to keep in mind is that even though you may not be teaching they are still learning.
Teaching a dog not to go on the road without permission is not as hard as it sounds. What it requires is for owners to be clear on what you want the dog to do- stay on sidewalk until released to go onto the road. Consistency is the key here, every time that you walk towards a curb to go onto a road ask your dog/pup to sit and then make sure to release them before they are able to go forward. If you don’t want your dog/pup to sit then ask them to wait before releasing them onto the road. For practice I go to an intersection that isn’t too busy and start on one corner, I then ask the dog to sit then release to go across the street (say “off the road” when you come within 3 feet of the other side of the street corner). Once I get to the new corner I set up a sit again and release the dog and go to the third corner then the forth. Once I have done all four corners I then do it in reverse, within a few short minutes you have done 8 sit and releases at the corners.
Once I have practiced this several times, I then add in approaching a corner and pretending to just walk onto the road (without actually walking onto the road). The dog will naturally walk onto the road at which time I make a small noise (sounds like a gasp) and say “Off the road” while backing up, try to sound surprised by your dog going onto the road without a release. Once the dog is back on the sidewalk make sure to praise verbally, but don’t pet as this may over arouse the dog and put it back onto the street. Do lots of set ups of almost walking onto the road and getting the dogs attention back on you on the sidewalk. Having a out of control dog lunging ahead onto the road is very scary for this I add a third step, which is: sit/stay on the corner or curb and go onto the road by myself and check to make sure that there is no traffic coming and then release the dog to come onto the road so that we can continue across the street.
Things to work on:
- Plan ahead; know what you are going to work on
- Be consistent and fair
- Praise when the dog is beside you on the sidewalk
- Use your voice as to reinforce, don’t pet though the use of food is fine as well
- Practice in many locations
Increase time and distance as well as distractions while practicing ex: throw a toy on to the road and tell the dog not to go to get it with a stay or leave it. (Always with safety in mind)
“It is ours to teach, not theirs to figure out”
Leslie Mc DeVitt Control Unleashed |
