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Friday, September 2, 2016

How to Walk a Dog on Ice

No matter how cold it is outside, your dog still needs to take care of business, and probably needs some exercise, too! However, walking a dog in the winter—and especially on ice—creates unique problems that don’t exist in the summer. Your dog’s paws can be damaged by rough ice, and many dogs are not able to take long winter walks. You can safely walk your dog by caring properly for their paws, and making sure both you and your dog are ready for the cold weather.

Part1
Preparing Your Dog to Walk in Cold Conditions

1
Trim the hair on your dog’s paws. This is especially relevant if your dog has longer hair. Excess hair on a dog’s paws—especially between the pads on its feet—will freeze and become clogged with ice. This is painful for your dog, and will take away much of their traction when walking on ice.^[1]
- Once you have trimmed the hair, you can apply a thin layer of protective balm to your dog’s feet. This will protect your dog’s paws and prevent the fur from freezing. Protective balms are available from all pet retail stores.
- If you can’t find a protective balm, Vaseline is an acceptable substitute.^[2]
2
Buy a set of booties for your dog. There are many retailers which sell dog booties; a reliable set can be found inexpensively. Dog booties will prevent your dog’s sensitive paws from being cut or scratched, which can easily happen when your dog is walking on top of coarse ice.^[3]
- A good set of booties will also improve your dog’s traction on ice and give them better traction in slick areas.
3
Consider buying a sweater or coat for your dog. Although this will not help protect their feet, it will keep them from getting cold or, worse, experiencing hypothermia.^[4]Certain breeds of dogs are more adapted to live in the snow (e.g. huskies and other long-haired breeds); these breeds are less likely to need a coat.
- Buy your dog a coat especially if they are going to run through snow (which will get on their fur and then melt, leaving them wet) or if they will walk through a stream or puddle.
4
Put a brightly colored vest on the dog. Just as it’s important for you to be easily visible to passing cars, your dog should be too. Many dog vests are sold with reflective material
- Alternately, you could buy a dog collar with reflective material. This will also improve your dog’s visibility, and is less cumbersome than a vest.
5
Train your dog not to pull. This will reduce the likelihood of a fall, as your dog will be less likely to jerk the leash in your hand and pull you off balance.
- If your dog pulls on the leash consistently, consider buying an extendable/retractable leash. This will allow your dog to run ahead on ice without pulling you to the ground.

Part2
Walking your Dog on Ice

1
Shorten your walk. Many dogs—especially those with shorter hair—do not have the endurance to take as long of a walk as they would in summer.^[5] Over time, you’ll get to learn your dog’s limits—while a 30-minute walk may be fine for some dogs, for others, it will be difficult and cold.
- If your dog has long hair or has been bred for cold temperatures, this may not be an issue. In fact, they may prefer walks in the winter, because they are less likely to become overheated!
2
Avoid chemicals on the ice. If you’re walking your dog on a road (even in a rural location) or sidewalk, there will likely be chemicals on the path. These are sprayed to melt the ice more quickly, but are poisonous to your dog.^[6]
- These chemicals can harm the pads on your dog’s paws and, more seriously, cause severe medical problems if ingested.
3
Walk in places where you and your dog can find traction. In addition to having the potential to cut or freeze the pads of your dog’s feet, ice is also slippery. To decrease the risk of falling for both you and your dog, walk on areas with higher traction.
- Snow can also provide some traction; it’s much less slippery than ice. If you have a choice between walking on ice and walking on 1-2 inches of snow, always choose snow.
4
Clean your dog’s paws after the walk. If you applied any substances to your dog’s feet, you’ll need to wash the paws off after the walk.
- Dogs often lick their feet after a walk, and the substances you’ve put on the feet may not be healthy when ingested.
- Even if you didn’t apply anything to the paws directly, they could still use a cleaning. The salt and chemicals commonly sprayed on sidewalks and roads are harmful to dogs’ feet, and need to be cleaned off.^[7]
- If you put booties on your dog’s feet, you’ll simply need to remove the booties; no cleanup required.

1
Get a good pair of winter boots. These are different from hiking boots: winter boots have thick soles (for traction) and provide insulation to keep your feet warm. A good pair of winter boots should cover your ankle; some come partway up your calf.
- Instead of winter boots, you can also buy shoe attachments that provide traction on ice. These come in various forms (some have small ice spikes on the bottom), but they strap on to the bottom of your hiking boots.
2
Wear several layers. In winter settings, it’s important to keep your body warm by wearing warm winter clothing. Focus on layering, rather than wearing a single coat—with layers, if you get too hot, you can take off one layer at a time. You should wear:
- A warm winter coat.
- A sweater or light jacket under your coat.
- Gloves.
- Long underwear or snow pants.
- A warm winter hat.
- Even if you are already wearing warm hiking boots, you should also wear a pair of wool socks. Wool will keep you warm even if it’s wet, so wool socks are much better than cotton in winter.
3
Walk safely. Since you will be walking on ice, there are certain tips you can follow to walk safely and without risk of falling. The primary concern is adjusting your center of gravity and weight, to avoid the risk of slipping on ice.^[8]
- When on ice, lean slightly forward. This will keep your feet from flying out from under you.
- Walk flat-footed to give yourself as much traction on the ice as possible.
- Your arms are helpful in adjusting your balance. When on ice, keep your arms out of your pockets so you can flail them if necessary.^[9]
- You can even walk with your arms extended to your sides; this will maximize your balance.
4
Wear a bright color at night so cars can see you. Walking at night can be dangerous if you are not wearing bright or, ideally, reflective clothing. It’s important to consider your dog’s safety before starting a nighttime winter walk.
- Many different clothing brands sell reflective clothing; look especially for a jacket with reflective stripes on the back.

How to Walk a Stubborn Dog

Walking with your dog can be one of the most enjoyable experiences, but if your dog is stubborn and refuses to go for a walk or be calm on the walk, the experience can quickly turn frustrating for both of you. Remember, dogs want to behave just as much as we want them to, so it's up to you to figure out what the problem is. Your dog might need training, it might have a medical condition, or it might just need a bit of stimulation.

Method1
Changing Your Dog’s Behavior

1
Reward your dog for desired behaviors. Rather than scold your dog for not doing what you want, reward your dog for doing what you do want. By rewarding good behavior, you’re teaching your dog that they will receive a reward for doing something, and they will begin to positively associate good behavior with going for walks. On the other hand, if you yell at or hit your dog, they will only associate walks with something bad and become even more resistant.^[1]
- Yelling at your dog or physically disciplining them is never going to yield desired results. It will only make them fearful and anxious.
2
Use small training treats and a click trainer. Dogs, like people, form associations between behaviors and positive experiences. When you reward your dog for desired behaviors, consider using small training treats and a click trainer. Wait until your dog has performed the behavior you want, such as walking forward, and then quickly, almost in unison, click the trainer and then offer the dog a small training treat. Your dog will associate walking forward with the click sound and treat, and ultimately you will be able to reward with a click sound rather than treat.^[2]
- Use training treats, or break a large, soft treat up into small pieces. Training treats are small and soft by design so that they can be a reward, not be a distraction, and not fill your dog up.
- Click trainers are inexpensive and can be found at all pet stores.
3
Take charge of your dog. Taking charge simply means establishing that you are the dominant figure in the relationship between you and your dog. You will not take charge by hitting, kicking, yelling, or physically intimidating your dog. By being the person with the treats, the leash, the click trainer, the commands, and the person responsible for feeding and housing the dog, you’re already in the dominant position. When you’re on a walk with your stubborn dog, maintain that power dynamic by calmly giving commands and leading your dog where you’d like it to go.^[3]
- You might get frustrated with your stubborn dog, but that’s no reason to lose your cool. Keep calm and focused, showing your dog that you’re in charge.
4
Use the leash as a tool. The leash is, for all intents and purposes, an extension of your arm and an invaluable tool. The leash is an effective way for you to communicate what you want your dog to do, while making sure that they don’t leave your side when excited.^[4]
- Put your hand through the leash and also wrap it once around your right hand.
- Hold the slack in the leash with your left hand.
- Gently pull on the leash if you need to so that you can remind your dog to behave.
- Never yank or pull hard on the leash and never hit your dog with the leash.
5
Pair verbal and non-verbal commands. Pairing a verbal command with a non-verbal command is the most effective way to tell your dog what you want them to do. When you teach your dog the commands, pair the verbal command with a hand signal and a training treat. Ultimately you will remove the treats and just use the hand signals and verbal commands.^[5]
- You can teach your stubborn dog the “let’s go” command, which indicates that you’re both going to walk forward.
- You can also teach the “stop” command, which alerts your dog that they are to stop walking.

Method2
Evaluating Your Dog’s Health

1
Consider that your dog may be in pain. Your dog may be resisting going for walks, but it might not be because they’re stubborn, but because they are in pain. If your dog has gradually or even suddenly decided it is no longer interested in walks, this change in behavior could be a good indicator that they’re hurting. Get your dog to the veterinarian for an examination.
- Your dog could have arthritis, which is a painful condition involving the joints.
- Your dog may have sustained an injury, such as to the pad of their foot or to a muscle or tendon.
2
Have your dog evaluated for dementia. Dogs, like people, can develop diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, that impact how they sense the world around them. If your dog becomes fearful of going for walks or their behavior changes, take your dog to a veterinarian for evaluation.^[6]
- These are progressive diseases, and your vet will discuss any and all viable treatment options.
- Even if you are only able to tell your vet that your dog seems “off” or “different”, with a few examples, may be enough to help them determine if your dog likely has dementia or not.
3
Treat your dog for anxiety. Some dogs have anxiety, and if your dog is one that does, your dog may appear stubborn when you try to take it for a walk. Because dogs can’t articulate themselves verbally, it might be difficult to distinguish between anxiety and stubborn behavior. Take your dog to the vet and explain the behavior changes. Your vet may prescribe anti-anxiety medications that should help your dog be more comfortable going for walks.^[7]
- Some signs of anxiety in dogs include panting, curling their tail between their legs, drooling, crouching low to the ground, and hiding.

Method3
Challenging Your Dog Mentally

1
Take a new route. Just like people, dogs can get bored easily. Your dog may be acting stubborn on walks because it is bored. Take a different route on your walk, or go to another park or neighborhood altogether for your walk. Even walking the same neighborhood but in a different pattern may be enough to make the trip exciting again for your pup.^[8]
- Try taking the route that you normally take but in reverse, if possible.
2
Go to a new location. Another way to mentally stimulate your dog is to take it to a new place for a run or walk. Introducing your dog to new sights, sounds, and smells stimulates your dog mentally and physically, and should make them eager for that walk that they’ve been resisting.^[9]
- Check if your county or city has a dog park.
- There might also be a state or national park nearby that allows dogs.
- Even if you take your dog to a designated off-leash area, make sure that you have a leash on hand at all times.
3
Use reverse psychology. Your dog may expect that they know exactly how this is all going to happen: you’re going to put the leash on them, you’re going to start walking, and you’re going to take that same boring route that you always take. Instead, give your dog the stay command and make them hold the position. Then, tell your dog to go, rewarding them for moving. This simple “reboot” in your walking routine might be just the trick to getting your dog to walk without issues.^[10]
- You will need to decide early on what commands you’ll use with your dog, including what you’ll use for “stay” and “go.”
4
Desensitize your dog. Your dog may be a stubborn walker because they fear some part of the experience, be it the leash, passing cars, or simply walking around outside their home. Desensitization is a lengthy process in which you introduce your dog to graduating levels of the stimuli that they fear. The idea is that as they become comfortable with a low level of the stimuli, you add a bit more until they are again comfortable. Desensitizing your dog may be the key to your dog becoming happy to go on walks.^[11]
- Desensitization takes a lot of patience. Don’t expect results overnight and don’t lose your cool if your dog doesn’t respond right away.
- Make sure that you don’t overwhelm your dog and that you introduce small, graduating levels of the stimulus.
- For example, if your dog is uncomfortable with unfamiliar people, invite someone to come over to your house and sit in the yard, maybe in a chair while reading a book.
- Keep your dog on leash away from the person and allow them to smell the air. As they get comfortable, take a step toward the person, moving slightly closer every time your dog appears comfortable.
- Ultimately, your dog should be close enough that you can introduce your friend to the dog without a fear response from your pup.
- Don’t force your dog to approach the person. You follow their lead, not the other way around.

How to Walk Two Dogs on Leashes

Walking one dog takes lots of care and dedication. Walking two dogs? That can be a challenge. If you want to learn to walk two dogs at the same time, you can learn what you'll need to pull it off correctly, and how to walk your dogs safely and efficiently.

Part1
Preparing for a Walk

1
Use the proper kinds of leashes. If you're going to walk two dogs, choose solid leashes with a set length, about 1.5 meters or more. Any style is appropriate, but thick braided nylon leashes tend to be the strongest and longest lasting. Pick one appropriate to your dog's size and energy level.^[1]
- Variable-length button-activated leashes tend to get tangled a lot more easily and encourage the dogs to pull at the leash. When the leash suddenly gives way as you give it more length, this gives the dog an incentive to yank at it.
2
Get everything you'll need for the walk. Aside from the leashes, it's good to take a couple of bags (assume each dog will need two), and some readily available doggy treats if you're actively training the dogs. Keys, cellphone, and you're ready.
- If you're going for a very long walk, you may also want to bring a little water with you in a bottle. Dogs pant when they're very thirsty, and need to be provided clean drinking water on a regular basis.
3
Provide water before walks. Make sure the dogs have access to clean water at all times, and make sure they get a chance to drink up before you head out on a long walk. Dogs might not always be interested in drinking, so it's not necessary to force it, but just make sure they have a chance to drink if they're interested.
- Dogs often need to go out shortly after eating or drinking. These are good times to schedule walks into your routine.
4

Practice walking the dogs separately at first. Leash training is a lot easier if you do it with one dog at a time. It's very difficult to try to leash-train more than one dog at a time. After they've gotten experience walking on the leash, it's fine to try walking them together.

Part2
Training Dogs on the Leash

1
Lead the dog, don't let the dog lead you. You should be the first one to set foot outside of the house when you go for a walk, especially if you're going with more than one dog. Lead the way and provide your dogs with directions and not vice versa. If the dogs follow your "stay" command, call them out and make them sit while you lock up.
- Attach the leash to the collar before you leave the house. Spend a lot of time at the door getting your dog to calm down before you go outside, if there's a lot of excitement.
2

Keep the dog close to your body. When you're first starting, try to keep the dog on a relatively short leash. Cinch the leash up on your wrist, so the dog will have to stay close at your side. You want to train the dog to stay that close to you at all times, even when the leash is a little bit longer. This makes the walk a lot smoother and more comfortable.^[2]
3
Control the movement of the walk. If one dog starts yanking at the leash in a particular direction, don't go in that direction. Stop moving, command the dog to heel, or sit, and wait until the dog relaxes and gets under control before you start walking again.
- Some trainers find it effective to "ask" the dog to stay close. As dog comes to you, reward him. You can even click down being next to you with a clicker.
- Don't tug hard on the leash, but stay consistent and demand proper behavior. If you start walking and dog still pulls after multiple attempts, stop for a while.
4

Reward the dog for good behavior. When the dog walks calmly at your side, staying on the leash, give a little treat and praise. As your dog stops pulling, start enforcing "heel" or "side" commands, to get the dog to walk closely. Dog should stay at your left at all times. Practice short walks (2 steps at first) with release commands and luring with treats.^[3]
5
Let them explore some as they get well behaved. It's good to be in control of the walk, but the walk is for their benefit ultimately. Let them smell, stop, search, and explore like they want. Continue walking at a calm pace, but take a minute or two to stop as well.
- Any time you can let dogs off leash is a good time. Find a dog park in your area if you don't have any fenced land they can roam in.
6
Be patient. It can take some dogs a long time to get trained properly on the leash. It's an unnatural and strange thing for the dog, and will only work with some careful training and some dedicated work.
- It's actually a lot easier to let the dog drag you around, but it'll result in a poorly trained dog that's difficult to walk on the leash. It takes some serious self control not to yank the dog back at you, or to just be dragged along for the ride.
- try to be cheerful, because it will make the walk go much smoother for the dog. As you change your walking direction, enhance good behavior with some doggy snacks and encouraging talk.

1
Hold one leash in each hand. Get your leash loop on your right hand and leash into your left hand with your dog on the left side. Put the hand through the hole and around the wrist a couple times, if the rope is big enough.
- Leave some slack in the leash, between you and the dog so even if he pulls it out of your hand its still on your wrist.
- Keep a tight grip on the leashes. Even calm and well-trained dogs can get distracted and start running without and you seeing them and pull the leash off the hand. And if you've got two, it's even more important to get a solid grip on things to keep them under control.
2
Keep the dogs on different sides. The easiest way to keep the dogs separated is to keep them on separate sides of your body. Let dogs sniff at the opposite sides of sidewalks, and walk them with your body in between. This will keep the leashes from getting tangled.
- Dogs will often want to sniff at the same things. If the dog on your left tries to cross over to your right, practice turning with the dog, or keeping the dog moving forward by giving a short little yank on the leash to move forward.
- If your'e walking very small dogs, they can sometimes stay on the same leash, with leash-dividers. This is usually the best way to keep them under control. They'll usually stay out of the other's way.
3
Make up for energy differences with play. If you try to walk a very big dog and a very small dog, or a very old dog and a very young dog, you can have different types of challenges. If one dog needs to meander and another dog needs to run, you've got to make up for that with a little bit of work.
- If you're going to walk different sized dogs, remember to walk slowly for the small one, and play more with larger dog before you head out at home to get their speed about the same.
- In some cases, it's just easier to walk dogs separately. Not all dogs make good combinations. Try to match their energy level and walking speed, if at all possible.
4
Make sure the dogs don't get into anything. While it might seem silly, it's a lot more difficult to keep track of two dogs at the same time. You're picking up one's mess and the other's got a mouthful of chicken bone from the sidewalk. try to stay diligent.
- Keep an eye out for debris on the sidewalk. Look for shattered glass or cigarette butts on the ground. Don't let them eat anything they're trying to get at.
- Choose the place you're walking them carefully and go there without them before go for the walk. Make sure the sidewalk is big enough and traffic is quiet.
5

Slow down. Often, when you're walking two dogs, they'll start getting excited and go into pack mentality. This means there will be a competition between them. try to stay calm to counterbalance their excitement. Don't let them start going faster or slower, but try to maintain a calm rhythm. Stop and pet them regularly if they're getting too worked up.^[4]

How to Walk Your Dog in Imaginative Ways

Are you bored of the usual 'round the block' walk you take your dog on? Is your dog bored of the same old smells? If you would like to find new ways to walk your dog, here they are.

1Roller-skate. Roller-skating is very fun for you and your dog! They will have to trot or run to keep up with you and it makes walking along very interesting - but remember that some people may see you rolling and be hating.

2

Cycle. The same but a bit more dangerous since you have to control your dog and bike, and sometimes your dog will pull your bike! Oh-er!
3

Jog. Jogging is a great way to build up stamina and see where you live, take your dog with you to tire it out and strengthen the bond between you.
4

Take your music player. Sometimes music will liven up (or block out) your dull neighborhood and give you a beat to walk to.
5

Go with a friend. Talk to someone who is human! Ask them to bring their dog as well if you want! This is a great way to pass the time, especially if your friend has a dog since you can talk about how odd they are together.
6

Take a ball or Frisbee If your dog knows recall and you live near a field or open space, walk into it and play fetch or bring a toy!
7

Have a picnic Take a lunch walk! Feed your dog afterwards though so he has worked for his food and shown you are the alpha dog.

How to Walk Your Dog Safely

Whether you have a big dog or a little dog, walking them the safe way is the safest. There has been owners you have got their dogs terribly injured, and hurt because they attach a leash to a collar and suppose that's the way. It's not.

1

Buy your dog a safe collar, unless you already have one.
2

Buy your pet a dog harness, trust me it is the best. You can find cheap ones for $5 at shops like The Reject Shop, GowLow, and 2Dollar Stores. Or, you could buy one from a dog & pet shop like PetBarn AU.
3

Once you have these two things, make sure your dog doesn't have any diseases or illnesses, you wouldn't want to harm any other owners and animals enjoying there walk together.
4

Get the dogs shots, and make sure he/she has all of them before you go out and about.
5

Attach the harness and the collar and take an empty ice-cream container or any container so you can find a nearby tap and give your dog a drink. Pets must always be hydrated.
6

Walk safely, and teach your dog to walk on footpaths, if she/he gets out, your dog will have the safe traffic and humans knowledge of walking onto a footpath for pedestrians. If you have local crossings, stop, look, think, listen, than walk across them all the time so your pet can also be used to using crossings for better safety lessons.
7

Give your pet a little sit down & a roll over rest so she/he can not be puffed for the trip home.
8

Keep a 3 meter (9.8 ft) distance from any other pets or dogs, and if any people walk towards you or past you pull your dog aside so it does not trip anyone over.
9

Don't be over 1HR. You dog needs to rest when he/she gets home.