Ava Williams
Whether it’s a ride on the subway or crossing the street – everyday life in the city has some adventures in store for dogs. However, most dogs are adaptable and with a little patience, they learn to master exciting challenges with ease.
“It is important that the dog was well socialized when it was a puppy. This means that we let the dog child explore the exciting everyday city life with all the strange people, smells, and noises,” emphasizes dog expert Kate Kitchenham. But even adult animals can get used to the city. “We must radiate calm when entering train stations or coffee houses – the dog orients itself towards us and will quickly copy our behavior and at most find such places boring,” the expert continues.
The following tips are helpful so that every dog can master the city walk safely:
- Dog owners should always keep their four-legged friends on a leash. Even the best-behaved dogs can get frightened or get into unpredictable situations.
- The “Stop” command is important for crossing streets. The dog learns the signal by leading it to the edge of the sidewalk, stopping there abruptly, and giving the command “stop” at the same time. Only when this command is broken by eye contact and the command “Run” is the dog allowed to cross the road.
- A puppy learns to ride the subway, tram, or bus just like an adult dog without any problems. But you should only drive short distances to get used to it.
- With four-legged friends who know the command “stay” well, it is also possible to go shopping. The dog then lies either in front of the supermarket or in a corner of the shop and relaxes.
- When moving to another floor, stairs or a lift are the best choices for the human-dog team. Escalators should be avoided if possible because the moving steps of escalators pose a risk of injury that should not be underestimated.
- A daily visit to a dog park then offers unrestricted fun. There the dog can run around freely, romp around with numerous conspecifics and read the “newspaper” extensively while sniffing.