Teach your dog to wait while you clip the lead on and before you let your dog out of the car
Taking your dog to a country park or similar destination can be fun for all dogs. It gives them time to burn off excess energy, interact with games with the owner or carry out some training in different environments. However, safety when getting your dog out of the car is paramount in teaching your dog life skills.
Today I sadly witnessed two dogs being let of out of the car in a country park car park and one almost being hit by a car as the dog ran off towards the park area. The driver was beside themselves and owner was locking the car up and was not aware fully of what had happened – however, as they turned around they saw the car and their dogs and started shouting at their dogs, who did not respond to the owner but carried on running off into the park. The dog, thankfully, was not hurt, but it is a lesson that the safety of our dogs starts when we get of the car and before we allow our dogs out of the car.
I have always taught a wait and clipped the lead on before I let my own dog out of the car. Why?
Because it teaches my dog control around doors. It is part of impulse control work – this may be a fancy phrase but simply put it teaches the dog to have some control over situations, in this case getting out of the car.
So why put on a lead if you are going to take the lead off?
Some areas that dogs and owners visit may be quiet areas or they may be busy (such as car parks). If you teach your dog all the time that the lead goes on before they exit the car and they have to wait before you get them out, then you as an owner will have the control in these environments and your dog will have the consistency of training and boundaries too.
Some owners may indeed have a lead on their dogs, but they still frantically jump out of the car and drag the owner across the car park to the park, causing the owner to become very frustrated. Again, it is about teaching the dog to control in these environments.
A dog that calmly exits the car will start the walk off more calmly than those dogs that frantically crash out of the car in sheer excitement of being at a park.
Basic points to remember:
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- Teach your dog to wait while the door or boot is opened.
- Teach your dog to have the lead clipped on before they exit the car.
- Teach your dog to exit the car in a calm manner.
It is important to teach your dog these skills to keep himself or herself under control.
Teddy’s Tip good advice.
Today in the car park I saw a young dog let out of the car. It ran into the road the owner was putting on his boots. A cyclist came of his bike as he tried not to hit the dog. A few people helped the cyclist and and I grabbed the dog and clipped him on to my lead. Luckily the cyclist was not hurt but some one did call the police.
The owner was caution and told to go to the police station with proof of ownership and vet number. As all this was going on Bailey was as good as gold sitting in the car.
Thank goodness for training.