How To Control A Large Group Of Dogs

Have you e'er wanted to take your dog to a street fair, Sat market, parade, or a pet expo merely haven't because yous are afraid of controlling your dog in large crowds? Or, have you taken your dog to 1 of these events and then had to exit considering you but weren't able to control your dog? Don't worry, y'all are not alone.

Handling a canis familiaris in a crowd can be a difficult and stressful state of affairs. There are a lot of dangers within the crowd itself — people stepping on your dog, tripping on them, other dogs that may or may not exist friendly, children running upwardly and grabbing your domestic dog from behind or by the ears — not to mention your domestic dog's reactions to all of the sights, smells and other stimuli going on around him. The following simple tips should salve the stress and assist you control your dog in a crowd.

1. Start early. If you take a puppy, there is no time similar the present to get him used to be being in crowds. Expose him to as many sights, smells, sounds, dogs, and people equally yous can. The more you desensitize him when he is young, the easier it volition exist to control him in a oversupply when he gets older.

2. Know your domestic dog's limits. Whether your domestic dog is old or young, chances are at that place is something she is fearful of or doesn't like. At home, with the aid of friends and their kids and dogs, see what situations brand your dog uncomfortable. Information technology's better to find out at home with friends that your dog might snap when touched from behind, for example, than for her to snap at a stranger on the street who might demand she exist put downwards. Once you know what her buttons are, you can work with a trainer on overcoming those and, in the meantime, y'all know what to avert when you are in a crowd.

3. Avoid overstimulation. If your dog is not used to big crowds, start out past going to smaller events with less excitement and fewer distractions, so that each experience is a positive one. One bad experience, and your dog could develop a fearfulness of crowds.

4. Go on your canis familiaris close. The worst affair you lot can possible do is have your dog on a flex lead in a large crowd. (In fact, Cesar discourages the use of whatever kind of flex lead except specifically during tracker preparation. If you don't know what that is, so y'all should never use a flex pb.) The closer your domestic dog is to you, the more control you have over him and whatever is around him. Information technology's not just for your domestic dog'due south safety — a ternion is a big tripping adventure for anyone else walking through the crowd, and flex leads are hard to see, even from fairly nearby.

5. Heel. Nothing is better than the heel command. A dog that has a stone solid heel will be the easiest dog to command in a crowd because she is correct by your side at all times. Start off with short walks and gradually build up distance as your canis familiaris learns the command.

half dozen. Teach focus. Earlier stepping into any type of oversupply situation, your dog should take a command word that means to focus on you lot. A common one is "scout me," where the domestic dog is taught to look at you when you say it. This is a neat command for regaining your dog's focus in distracting situations. Exist sure to build the command upwardly with slowly increasing distractions and stimulation to ensure success.

seven. Exist aware. One of the nearly important things virtually controlling your domestic dog in a crowd is non about the domestic dog at all. It's about you projecting at-home, assertive energy, and so being a diligent owner by watching your dog and what is going on around him. We have all seen the owner who is busy talking to someone while their dog, normally on a long ternion, is half dozen feet away, pestering a person, getting into a fight with some other dog, or eating something that might be unsafe. This is the type of situation that is easily avoided by keeping your eyes on your dog while yous talk to other people. If they think you are beingness rude, simply explicate to them the reason. They should commend you for being a good dog owner.

Tell usa your successes and struggles with controlling your dog in a oversupply in the comments below.