I Walk My Dog On the Right

smkie

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#21
I use to live in a really rough neighborhood. I had a lab that would switch from the left to the right on his own if there was anyone in a doorway (store fronts) and then would return back to the left. HE was very protective of me and I am alive today because of him.
 
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#22
I use to live in a really rough neighborhood. I had a lab that would switch from the left to the right on his own if there was anyone in a doorway (store fronts) and then would return back to the left. HE was very protective of me and I am alive today because of him.
==========
Exactly why I started the thread. Now if people can't understand that the dog part is over thanks to posters like yourself, then so be it. The rest is a humankind problem and for me I'm not here to explain myself to dogs. I'm here to explain dogs to me so that I can differentiate the two. I will continue my "keep to the right" mantra in the humankind forums and that world is not in this thread. There are all kinds of human types. I'm sick and tired of being a victim but I have to understand my constant companion's world first.
Thanks heaps. My mental life is simplified. If people want to psych me, this is not the forum for that. Just psych my Baruch. I'm simply his confused mommy;)
 

smkie

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#23
I was 17 and living on my own. That dog had such instincts and thought it was his one duty to watch over me. THings might have gone very wrong if he hadn't been my self appointed guardian. Once he took out a panel door (cheap landlord had it as the front door) and chased the bad guy down brush creek. He was gone for 20 minutes. The landlord said there was no way a dog could do that to a door, that I must have taken an ax to it. Yeah..from the lower part of the door down right..sure I did. Swung it knee level.


He also saved me from drowning when I was pregnant. It was so hot, and I didn't think about that never swim alone thing.
I cramped up so bad and no one could hear me but he came a running and got me out of there.

I have never had or met a dog like him since. I certainly didn't train him to do any of it, he completely understood. I would not have any problem whatsoever switching my dog from one side to the other to secure my safety. The cool thing about Charlie was he did it on his own. WE walked off leash always. THe laws were not the same back then. HE had a beautiful positioned off leash heel, even with my knee. I would not see the bum in the doorway, but he always sensed it..smelled it, however he knew he did. He would switch and be a barrier between until it was all clear and then return.
 
T

tessa_s212

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#24
A long time ago I was paid to train a woman's dog to walk on her left. She had a prostetic leg on the right, adn was afraid of kicking/stepping on the small yorkie and not feeling herself do it, so I taught it to heel on the left instead of the right. Quite the experience. :)
 

Laurelin

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#25
I'm still confused about what the problem is... maybe if you explained a bit more, that would help.
 
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#27
Glad I'm not the only one!:lol-sign:
me too me too! add me to the list.

To the OP: people AKA HUMANS are posting on this thread... sadly my dogs have not mastered the use of the computer yet (I know it is probably my own shortcomings as an owner).
 

smkie

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#28
I think what the woman is trying to explain is that she has the dog walk on her right for her protection. Not because she thinks it is correct to walk the dog. It's about putting a barrier between herself and the unknown. THat is the way I take it. WHen your out hunting your not worried that the person passing by is going to snatch your purse. I would have no problem at all switching my dog over if I felt uncomfortable with someone who I felt was threatening passing by. I prefer to have me in between traffic and my dog because I don't trust people. I had one woman I babysat that said she hated animals and would have no problem at all aiming for anything on 4 legs. You hear that and it kind of sticks with you. SO maybe it is important to be able to switch for your safety and for your dog. Hope that makes it more clear. IF I am right about the op intent.

Tell you what..you walk down the road with a dog like this
Charlie - Dog and Puppy Pictures
you will have no problem no matter where he heels. If there is a heaven, the one thing i want more than anything else is to see him again, thank him, and tell him how sorry i am. DAng..now I am all drippy.
 

Saeleofu

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#29
A long time ago I was paid to train a woman's dog to walk on her left. She had a prostetic leg on the right, adn was afraid of kicking/stepping on the small yorkie and not feeling herself do it, so I taught it to heel on the left instead of the right. Quite the experience. :)


Wait...what? Isn't a heel generally on the left anyway? Why would it be any harder to train a dog to heel on one side or the other?

And count me in as still thoroughly confused about this whole thread.
 

Saeleofu

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#30
I think what the woman is trying to explain is that she has the dog walk on her right for her protection.

But...she keeps saying she sticks to the right of the sidewalk...so the dog is not near other people she passes by. If it's for protection, then have the dog walk on the left side, and teach it not to greet other dogs.
 

corgipower

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#31
Wait...what? Isn't a heel generally on the left anyway? Why would it be any harder to train a dog to heel on one side or the other?

And count me in as still thoroughly confused about this whole thread.
I find it very difficult to train a dog to heel on the right side...but that's because I'm so used to the dog being on the left, and holding the leash a certain way and giving treats a certain way and trying to reverse all that for a right side heel makes me confused. ;)

I thought the thread was about how people don't keep to the right when they walk.
 

JessLough

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#32
I just got what she is saying lol. Or, I am 99% sure.

She walks on the right side, and walks her dog to the right of her. Thus keeping the dog away from oncoming people. She wants society to conform to her, so she is not greeted by other dogs, walking on the left side of their owners coming towards them. Make sense? in my head it did lol Cause you know... dogs walking beside somebody is offensive
 

Lizmo

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#33
I seriously hope we never have rules for WALKING on the sidewalk like we do for driving a car on the road. :eek:
 

Saeleofu

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#34
I just got what she is saying lol. Or, I am 99% sure.

She walks on the right side, and walks her dog to the right of her. Thus keeping the dog away from oncoming people. She wants society to conform to her, so she is not greeted by other dogs, walking on the left side of their owners coming towards them. Make sense? in my head it did lol Cause you know... dogs walking beside somebody is offensive

So...it was never about heeling at all then...just a do what I say wah wah wah...
 

Paige

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#35
Bandit knows how to walk in front, behind, to the left and to the right and when he's allowed to switch back and forth on his own free will. I think it's important to teach your dog to be adjustable.
 

Saeleofu

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#36
I find it very difficult to train a dog to heel on the right side...but that's because I'm so used to the dog being on the left, and holding the leash a certain way and giving treats a certain way and trying to reverse all that for a right side heel makes me confused. ;)

I thought the thread was about how people don't keep to the right when they walk.
I've never noticed a difference when I've trained. Maybe it's because I'm used to working dogs on the left from prior experience, but I'm left-handed, so it's more natural to work them on the right.
 

smkie

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#37
I just got what she is saying lol. Or, I am 99% sure.

She walks on the right side, and walks her dog to the right of her. Thus keeping the dog away from oncoming people. She wants society to conform to her, so she is not greeted by other dogs, walking on the left side of their owners coming towards them. Make sense? in my head it did lol Cause you know... dogs walking beside somebody is offensive
I don't believe anyone said anything about being offensive. THat is just trying to be hurtful and I don't see the point in writing anything like that. Someone comes here and brings up a thought. A question as to why things are done the way they are done. THere is nothing wrong with that or any reason to twist someone's words.
 

Doberluv

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#38
I get that....that if two people are coming toward each other and both have their dogs on their left side, the dogs are closer together and at more risk of a squabble or other trouble. So, the answer would be to get your dog use to walking on either side, back and forth. That way, if you want to put more space between oncoming dogs, your dog on your right will put you in between them. So, if one of the dogs wants to bite the other, they may miss and get you. LOL! No, seriously, it's good to practice with dogs your dog knows and teach your dog to pay attention to you when another dog is coming and you can make a wide arc to put some distance between, plus that way, the two dogs are not coming straight at each other, face to face, which can be construed as threatening to some dogs if they're not use to it. There are good books out for that too. I think the op has been scared off. So, I hope he/she comes back to find out that she can indeed learn to manage her dog so they can both enjoy walks.
 

smkie

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#39
I always put mine in a sit when I see other dogs approaching on a leash. GIves two messages. One my dog is in control and I am honoring your passage to the person going past. THe second is a message to the other dog as well. See I am being good no threat here. Do this for people too because I do not know if someone is afraid of dogs or not, seeing a dog sit and patiently waiting for someone to pass by eases everyone's mind. FInally it sends a message to my dog. SIt. stay, be quiet, be good an we will continue on in just a sec.
THis does not apply if we are in a crowd or we wouldn't get anywhere.

Yesterday at the guild I was searching for my key as a woman walking (being drug) by two dogs commented on how well behaved Victor was. Her dogs wer snarling, and digging in trying to draw closer to us while she was pulling back with all her might. Victor is shooting me a look that says GEEEZ WILL YOU HURRY UP AND OPEN THE DOOR! I got my key and got it in by the time the two dogs were within 2 feet of us. Would it have been so much better if she had taken the time to stop about 10 feet off and put her dogs in a sit stay until i had him inside. IT's just common sense.
 

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