One of the best parts about college has to be the dogs people bring on campus. These furry friends are everywhere, and it’s always a good stress reliever to run up to one and start playing with it. But what is it like being on the other side of the leash? Here’s what you can expect if you’re taking your pet for a stroll around school.
Walk Training
Believe it or not, you have to train your dog to walk on a leash. As a self-proclaimed cat person, I figured all dogs were born with a natural walking instinct. I was woefully mistaken. Training a dog how to go for a walk is very difficult, and it takes time for both parties to get the hang of it. One of the first walks I went on with Bear ended with me carrying her the whole way home because she was too stubborn to walk.
That being said, there are many ways you can leash train your dog. The main method most dog experts recommend is the tree method. Every time your dog pulls on the leash, you stop walking and stand straight like a tree. This teaches your dog that they won’t get anywhere by tugging on the leash. However, it extends your usual 30-minute walk to an hour-long game of red light green light, so make sure to set aside some time to do this properly.
I recommend waiting to walk on campus until your dog gets the hang of walking with a leash. With so many people running to class, it’s easy for them to get overwhelmed and run towards every person that passes by. It will be easier for you to control them in stressful situations if they are trained to stay near you while walking.
Interacting with People
One of the more interesting parts about walking on campus will be all of the attention your dog receives. Person-to-puppy interactions can go one of a few ways:
- The “Smile in awe” – This name refers to the face people make when they see your dog and don’t quite know how to react. Either these people are in a rush to class, or they’re too far away to pet your dog. Make sure to be nice to these people and maybe give a little smile back. You never know, maybe your dog just made their day.
- The “Can I pet him?” – Like the “Smile in awe,” these people admire your dog. The difference here is that they have the time and confidence to ask to pet them. One trend I’ve noticed amongst this group is that they never ask for your name. Only your dog’s. So, if you’re walking around campus to try to flirt with people, just know that the attention won’t be on you.Â
- The “Pretend it doesn’t exist” – These people will walk past your dog and pretend it’s not there. They avoid all eye contact and don’t even pay attention to your beautiful furry friend. These people are secretly psychopaths. I mean, how can you just ignore a dog?
There are a lot of proven benefits to taking a dog out for a walk and, by exposing a pet to other dogs and people, they can become more friendly in the long run! Bring your dog on campus more! Chances are, you will make someone’s day.
As always don’t forget to follow Bear on Instagram @misslemonears!
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