One of the first things I discuss with potential clients during a consultation and teach during the first lesson is that all dogs will be trained to walk on the left side of the pet parent. With the understanding that this is a part of the learning process for both dog and pet parent, it almost never becomes an issue for any pet parent. When walking two dogs, both should be on the left, beside each other.
Most pet parents are accepting of the idea of walking their dog on the left because that is how they are training their dogs already, or because they trust me as their trainer of choice to do the right thing.
Many pet parents are curious as to why the dog is trained on the left side, or they think that because they are right-handed, it would be the easiest and most logical way to walk a dog, meaning using their right hand. But think about all the other things you need your right hand for! Additionally, service dogs are trained to be on the left because of our human right-handed dominance.
So, I’d like to explain why dogs are on the left. It actually began a very, very long time ago because the majority of people on this planet are right-handed. So you might say, “Well, there you go. If we’re right-handed, why don’t we hold the dog’s leash in our right hand”?
Originally, the right hand was used to hold a weapon of choice, whether a gun or a sword. So the right hand needed to be free if the weapon had to be drawn. So now you’re thinking that’s ridiculous because it no longer is the case.
Bringing it all up to date, the majority of the world still remains right-handed. The right hand is used for carrying packages, using cell phones, and opening car doors. Almost everything we do as a right-handed society requires our right hand to be free, even to pick up our dog’s poop.
If you take a look at your car, the passenger side is designed for right-handed entry. When your car is parked against the curb, it is the passenger side that is away from oncoming traffic.
When you’re walking on the road with your dog, you should face oncoming traffic. This will bring your dog closer to the sidewalk or side of the road, away from the traffic. If a car is coming, your dog should be trained to sit and stay until the car has passed or for a minimum of ten (10) seconds.
In this scenario, you and your dog will be closest to the safe side of the road. You never want your dog to be walking close to the oncoming traffic.
Have you ever taken a walk on a greenway or a scenic trail? Most people will follow the same rules of the road by walking with their dog closest to the left side of the trail, as though they are walking facing oncoming traffic. This scenario will keep your dog away from another approaching dog, person, child, baby carriage, bicycle, skateboard, or scooter, coming from the opposite direction. This could be extremely helpful if your dog is not dog-friendly. Once again, this will position your dog closest to the side of the trail where it is safer. It’s also more convenient for a quick sniff/potty break.
We all want to believe our precious canine family members will be with us forever. But sometimes life changes, and it doesn’t always work out how we want it to. It’s always easier for our beloved dogs if they are all trained according to the standards used by most pet parents or professionals. Employing different hand signals, rules of the road, or a different language in training your dog might make things a little more difficult should your dog need to be boarded, go to daycare, have a dog walker, or even be rehomed.
