Many times dog owners often wonder why their dogs walk in front of them rather than strolling next to them.
There can be several reasons behind this activity – either your dog wishes to move faster or may want to interact with the surroundings, etc.
There can be many more reasons that we will be looking at in detail in this article. So, read on to know more!
Why Does My Dog Walk in Front of Me?
These are some reasons that can cause your dog to move in front of you rather than walk beside you. Once you have a good idea of the particular reason, then you might be able to stop your dog efficiently and will also get to know why the dog is doing this.
Let’s take a look at the reasons in detail:
- Your Dog Wishes to Go Faster Than You
One of the reasons why your dog walks in front of you can be that it wishes to move faster than you.
You will get to know this if the dog pulls onto the leash and tries to drag you with it. Many breeds like Husky are known to travel quickly.
- Your Dog Wants to Interact With Its Surroundings
The dog might walk in front of you if it wishes to interact with something present in your surroundings.
You can find out if this is the reason by simple observation. You must look carefully and notice when the dog slightly moves ahead of you.
If your dog moves ahead only for a while and when you are near things like trees and bushes, then the dog wishes to interact with your surroundings.
- Your Dog Feels Protective of You
One of the primary reasons is that the dog feels protective of you. Hence, it is moving ahead of you.
Many dog breeds like German Shepherd, Doberman, and Rottweiler are considered to be very protective of their families.
Such activities are usually done by these protective dog breeds wherein they move ahead of their controller.
- Behavioral Reasons
Your dog may walk in front of you due to behavioral reasons if you have rewarded or reinforced them for the same.
For instance, if you treat your dog to hugs, toys, and his favorite food when it walks ahead of you, then they are bound to repeat the same behavior and expect rewards.
You can know if this is the reason by observing your dog at your home. If he starts to walk ahead in the house, it is because of the reward.
- Your Dog Has a Lot of Energy
One of the most significant reasons could be that your dog is bustling with liveliness and lots of energy, which is why it wants to exercise more.
If you have a breed like Husky, then it should be deemed to be purely normal as it is an active breed and is known to exercise significantly on a daily basis.
Active dog breeds include Doberman, Labrador Retriever, English Cocker Spaniel, etc. Dog breeds like these tend to exercise a lot.
You should make sure that your dog gets the right amount of exercise that the vet recommends because that will help the dog to nurture and grow properly.
Why Does My Dog Stand in Front of Me?
There are several reasons for the same, which are the same as I have mentioned above. However, there could be other reasons too.
- Your Dog Needs Attention
Your dog may be asking for attention from you if it walks ahead of you or comes and stands in front of you, waiting to be noticed. It is more likely to stand in front of you when you have not attended to him not or adequately bestowed him with adequate care and consideration.
- You Haven’t Trained Your Dog
If your dog walks or comes and stands in front of you, this could be a sign that you haven’t trained your dog well.
The dog is unaware of the fact that it should not walk in front of you. Hence, you should start training your dog.
You can start by teaching it how to sit and stand. Eventually, your dog will learn all the instructions you give it.
Should I Let My Dog Walk Ahead of Me?
If your dog tugs onto its leash and tries to pull you forward, then it would be best if you immediately stop your dog from walking ahead of you.
This behavior should be curbed by the controller as soon as the dog starts to do it. By stopping it time and again, it will understand that this behavior isn’t accepted.
If your dog is off-leash and is walking in front of you, it ultimately depends upon you. But, if your dog isn’t within your reach, it might get hard to control it.
Your dog can go jumping ahead if it sees a squirrel, or it could misbehave around other dogs or people. At times like this, it is necessary that you control it.
If your dog is a fully grown-up, a large dog, then it is recommended that you tie an extendable leash around its neck to control it from attacking anybody.
How to Stop My Dog From Walking Ahead of Me?
There are many things that you can do to stop your dog from walking ahead of you. The best option will depend on the cause as to why your dog walks ahead of you.
- Positive Reinforcement
Positive Reinforcement is training through which you can train your dog to act in a certain way, by rewarding them. Here are some of the ways to ensure positive reinforcement:
- It would be best if you stopped giving your dog attention when it walks ahead of you.
- Reward your dog when it does not walk ahead of you.
- Grab his attention when he is about to walk ahead of you, reward your dog, and move forward.
- Avoid Encouraging the Dog’s Behavior
As I have already mentioned, it is quite possible that your dog might have learned this behavior because of rewards.
You should refrain from giving the dog attention when it tries to walk in front of you, or you should stop and wait for your dog to realize and step back.
Final Thoughts
Now, whenever your dog walks ahead of you and you wish to stop it from repeating that behavior, you should practice positive reinforcement.
I hope that this article helps you understand why your dog walks in front of you, and how you can prevent that.
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