Tips on handling your dog in large crowds
Have you ever seen people walking around with their dogs at a street fair, festival, parade or other event and wondered how the dogs remained so calm, cool and collected in such a chaotic atmosphere?
Handling your dog in large crowds can be a stressful and challenging job. The American Kennel Club offers the following tips to help you manage your dog in a crowd:
Provide early socialization. If you have a puppy, now is the time to expose him to as many people, places, sights, sounds, smells and objects as possible. The more socialized your pup is, the calmer he will be in crowds throughout his life.
Don’t overexpose him. If your dog has never been around large crowds, you should start by exposing him to small groups of people first and gradually bring him around larger crowds as he gets more comfortable. Know your dog ’s limit. Whether your dog is old or young, chances are there is something she is fearful of or doesn’t like. At home, with the help of friends, see what situations make your dog uncom- fortable. Once you know what makes your dog uncomfortable, you can actively work to overcome those fears.
Leash your dog. You will want to keep your dog as close to you as possible in order to keep maximum control over him. Make sure to keep your dog on a relatively short leash when you are in large crowds of people. There are tons of distractions that might make it very tempting for him to run off. Teaching your dog to heel can also be quite beneficial. A dog that has a rock-solid heel will be the easiest dog to control in a crowd because she is right by your side at all times.
Be confident. You can’t expect your dog to be calm and well-behaved if you are not confident in your ability to control him. Always be aware of where your dog is and what is going on around him. Be assertive when giving your dog a command.
Beware of obstacles. Other dogs, smells and physical distractions (such as garbage on the street) can be a challenge. Since you will inevitably encounter these obstacles, it is very important to work on the command “Leave it!” or its equivalent from the get-go.