Do you always keep your dog to the same side while walking? (chihuahua, poop)

[AJ Kopecky]

I assume this is part of heeling - keeping the dog in the same position throughout the walk, yes?

Do you hold the leash on the same side the dog is walking on?
Or do you hold the leash in one hand and have it cross the front of your body to the dog walking on the other side (while sort of guiding it with that second hand)?

I've seen people do it both ways and I've done it both ways. I'd like to teach my dog to heel properly, but there are times I actually want her to be on one side and times I want her on the other within the same walk. It's usually for reasons of her own safety (the sidewalk ends, to block her from traffic or another unfriendly animal, etc.)

Am I just confusing her?

[maestramommy]

It depends. If I'm walking Shep in a space with other people around, I usually keep him on one side with a short rein. Also, my little girls have starting "helping" me walk him in the evenings, so I do the same thing. Now when we're running together in the mornings I let him go the length of the lease (4 ft?) and switch it from hand to hand as he likes. I do let him go in front as long as the leash stays slack. If he starts to pull I stop and wait until he stops and returns some slack.

I used to make him heel during runs, but it actually makes for for tense posture. Then his class instructor (who's also a runner) told me she usually lets her dog run ahead when they're running together. It just depends on the situation.

[no kudzu]

I was taught to keep the dog on your left and make the dog heel on the left at all times. But this did not work all the time for us depending on the nature of the walk and the dog. I like teaching a dog to heel when playing or chasing a ball and for obedience class but for a casual pee and poop walk it is not always best to have the dog on the left. Somehow my dogs figured out the difference in the purpose of the walk and acted accordingly.

[kayfouroh]

Heel is on our right, left is on our left. Depends on the situation.

[Dashdog]

If I am doing a formal heel they are on the left but if we are just walking they are one which ever side I want or feel is the safest or even ahead of me with a slack leash. I do not buy into the idea that if a dog walks ahead of me it makes him think he is top dog. The day the dogs bring home the food and serves it to me well yea then they can think they are top dog.

Doing agility they have to learn to work from both sides and when you only walk them on the left that makes it difficult .If we are walking down a sidewalk mind you I walk all 3 together and some one is coming along on the other side of the walk I tell them around and they cross to my other side so that I am between them and the person just incase the person is afraid of dogs. But if we are out walking at the park or in a very open space on leash they can walk where ever as long as there is no pulling if I feel the leash go taunt I either just stop or I turn and go the other way and they get they message quick.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I have a heal on either foot. As long as my dog is near the heal I am good. Do what is natural to the situation. If you are concerned about another person fearing your dog, you are in the middle. If you are concerned about the other person getting near you then the dog is in the middle. I have a Chihuahua so this doesn't apply to me. LOL

[Tracysherm]

(I'm just trying to picture what it would be like to actually have a dog that you could even consider keeping on a certain side while you walk)

For those who have read my other posts about my dogs, they'll understand!

But if you're talking about yanking and tugging me all over the place, then my dogs seem to pull equally on all sides.

[beatlecrazy]

I usually walk my dog on my left side, or wherever the strip of grass is between the road and a house/lawn. I never like to walk my dog directly on or next to someone's lawn, in case they do their business. I always feel as if everyone is staring at me from their windows, watching to see what Chase will do.

But I keep the leash in my left hand sorta rolled up, and he stays close to my left side. He used to pull a lot but then we got a little head harness for him and now he doesn't pull at all. It still allows him to sniff, bark, eat grass, but it just warns him every time he tries to get in front of me to cut me off. I like it!

[foxywench]

ive taught both my dogs to heel nicely on either sides...(and to eachother as i often use a coupler too)
i have them walk on the side im holding the leash on i dont like to have a leash cros infront of me. they know there not suposed to cros infront of me so it works well, this way if im walking in town i can have them on the inside, away from the road, but if someones comming i simply switch hands wiht the leash and they automatcially follow switching sides.

leash manners are one fo the things im REALY a stickler about...my dogs are tiny, but i dont let them use it as an excuse, they walk nice unless i give them the go ahead to walk ahead of me (on long line or flexie)

[DawnMTL]

Originally Posted by TracySam

(I'm just trying to picture what it would be like to actually have a dog that you could even consider keeping on a certain side while you walk)

For those who have read my other posts about my dogs, they'll understand!

But if you're talking about yanking and tugging me all over the place, then my dogs seem to pull equally on all sides.

Stop talking about Artie. His ears are burning!

I'm in agreement with you. Artie leads, I follow. Artie crosses the street, I cross with him. Artie walks faster, so do I. I'm like a geisha, a few steps behind my master, going wherever he wants me to.