Riley:The Importance of Boundaries & Guidance Case Study

Daily walks should be enjoyable for both dog and owner, but when you have a dog that is easily distracted and constantly pulls on the leash, it’s hard to get excited. Instead of happily exercising both you and your dog, you dread getting dragged around or having people look at you funny because you have that dog—the barker, the tripper, the poor listener.

It doesn’t have to be that way. With a little help from an experienced in-home trainer, your dog can learn to walk calmly beside you, focused on you instead of his/her surroundings.

I recently helped a couple who were having this sort of trouble with their dog, Riley. Riley hadn’t been given many boundaries within the home—he could roam freely both inside the house and in the fenced-in yard. The commands his owners gave him yielded no type of reaction. He was basically doing what he wanted when he wanted and ignoring his owners completely.

I visited for an in-home consultation before starting his training so I could observe the behavior for myself. It took him a long time to relax in my presence, and when we all went for a walk he got overexcited, pulled on the leash, and paid more attention to his surroundings than to the person walking him.

We agreed on a course of action that would solve these issues. The first step was basic obedience training. This was effective not only because it taught Riley to obey his owners’ commands, but also because it taught him to focus on them at all times. When a dog is focused, they will take cues from you rather than from themselves or their surroundings. We eliminated Riley’s ability to roam freely, keeping his anxiety and excitement in check by creating boundaries. Eventually, when Riley can be trusted to make good decisions on his own, he may be able to roam freely again.

For now, Riley’s schedule is strict and he spends time every day practicing basic obedience. It’s working for him, keeping him calm on walks and in the home. His owners are happier, and he’s becoming a better dog every day.

To see what B-more Dog Training can do for you, give me a call at 410.844.6611.