It is my opinion that most dog owners don't really understand how much time they need to devote to training in order to have the well behaved dog they envision. This is especially true for puppy owners. As a trainer, breeder, and dog owner I am constantly observing the same scenarios over and over whenever I see dogs in public with their owners.
Owner is walking, dog is pulling. Owner stops, dog pulls in some direction. Dog's nose goes to ground, gathering information, owner jerks leash and tells dog to stop. Dog stops for a brief second, or worse yet ignores owner completely, and owner continues to nag at dog by pulling harder or jerking the leash harder. Owner moves on eventually and the scenario repeats.
A visit to any big box pet store is even worse! Dogs panting wildly, overwhelmed by the environment. Owners trying to physically restrain them or buying prong collars to try to correct them. Dogs completely unaware that the owners are anything more than dead weight keeping them from getting to other dogs, people, or all those yummy treats. Dogs eliminating unabated to mark that they were there, and owners shocked or embarrassed that their dog would do such a thing.
Taking a dog out in public shouldn't be something you do without a lot of training under your belt, and should always involve a plan. Prepare for what you expect to encounter ahead of time, and be prepared for the unexpected. Your dog may not enjoy going into stores. He doesn't know he can't eliminate unless you've trained him to only eliminate on cue! Elimination can happen unexpectedly if your dog is nervous or overstimulated. If you are going to pay more attention to your smart phone than your dog leave him at home!
Think about the world from your dog's perspective before you embark on a field trip with him. He isn't likely to enjoy sitting around watching your child's soccer game unless he's well socialized AND has something else to occupy his time. He can't keep score, doesn't care who wins, but he may be really interested in chasing the ball or the children! That's what he sees as fun. If all you are going to do is try to restrain him and correct him for normal dog behavior why bring him in the first place?
He doesn't enjoy shopping the way humans do. He might enjoy being with you but unless you give him some instruction on how to behave in public, AND reward him for those behaviors, all he can do is act like a dog! Dogs investigate everything by sniffing, greet by jumping, and try to solicit attention. Don't get angry with him! Train him to be polite! Teach a rock solid SIT. Practice WAIT in a variety of distractions. Reward focus on you! Then take him out in public.
Don't leave home without a variety of treats that your dog can earn along the way. If you don't provide them for good behavior your dog, being a dog, will find his own rewards! Then you will be just another dog and his owner working against each other instead of enjoying a field trip together.
If the above scenarios are all too familiar why not take a class with your dog? We will be offering a n "Out and About" class soon, which will help teach you the foundation skills necessary to take your dog out in public successfully. Watch our website and Facebook for details.
