[loganbean]

Do you let your dogs walk in front of you on walks? Mine walk next to me (not their choice). I keep them on a 2 ft leash.
But I see lots of people walking their dogs who are 6 feet behind their dogs?

Is it really that important all you learned doggie peeps?

[Chels_girl]

I like my dogs to walk right beside me, but that's personal preference. My aussie is dog reative, my Huskymix is a little fearful, so for control sake I like them close to me.

[Cracker]

I like a loosh leash and have no problem having Cracker ahead of me. I have the "heel" command and shorten the leash when in crowds etc but the rest of the time she's out ahead. She has four legs, I have two...having a dog heel ALL the time is a lot of work for the dog as they are naturally able to cover more ground each step. It would be like me walking my grandmother three times a day...pleasant for the visit but really frustrating.

That being said, it is important that the dog LEARN/be TAUGHT to heel AND to walk loose leash in order to be able to do this. People inadvertently teach their pups to pull by allowing it in the early months of their lives.

[RBark]

It's situational for me. Around lots of people and other dogs, he will be next to me. Otherwise I let him walk in front, behind, or wherever he pleases so long as the leash is loose.

[Dog_Shrink]

I'm kinda inthe same mindset as cracker here. I usually keep the rule of thumb no butts past my knee unless I give you the "go ahead" command (that way no lines are obscured about just exactly who is controling this walk). I use a 6 foot leash on well trained dog, 4 feet on those still learning. I give as much lateral movement (side to side in line with me) and behind me as the leash will allow to permit sniffing and general doggie behavior, but if you lag behind you better be catching up when you hit that end of the leash (and they do usually right back in line with me). If they do try to pass and get in front of me they get a "ut ut" and a "with me" command and they fall in line.

I also make our walks a mixed bag of learning and reinforcing leash manners by occasionally throwing in a "Stop" command or a "front" command and some "waits" at the corners. I call this part the "constructive walk" I'll usually do a 2 block jaunt with pups when learning and each leg of a block has a different theme. One leg will be sniff and explore (using the previously mentioned standard of course) the next leg will be constructive and so on thru the 2 blocks.

[MissMutt]

Because Marge has so many problems with paying too close of attention to scary things (like people and sounds) on walks, she usually gets to walk wherever she pleases. I've admittedly been somewhat bad about the loose-leash, though the only time she pulls is when her nose gets going, and even then, it's not bad. She's not a puller at all.. more like a "don't take me away from this spot, I'm still sniffing!" She KNOWS what "with me" means, but it's just not feasible for me to enforce it the majority of times on our walks.

[TooneyDogs]

The walking in front isn't bad per se. What usually happens though is most people let the dogs make up the rules of engagement at meet and greet time because the dog reaches the other dog or person first.... not a good idea.