Could a Stranger Walk Your Dog?

    • Gold Top Dog

    Could a Stranger Walk Your Dog?

    My dog is 4 yrs old and I have walked him on a leash at least once (usually x2) a day. That's a minimum of 1,500 opportunities I've had to train my dog to walk properly! So I ask myself, 'How sucessful have I been? Is my dog trained well enough that I could send him off with a total stranger, confident that they could sucessfully manage him?

    My answer is probably NO. I don't think it would be a disaster, but it could be challenging for the walker.
    • Gold Top Dog
    With Conrad it depends on the situation. On Sunday I went for a walk with my dogs and my mom, to the dog park, which is near mom's house. Conrad knew full well where we were headed and was a bit more pull-y than usual. Not unmanageable for my mom, but not really being a sterling example of his training. After we got done at the dog park and were walking home of course, he walked beautifully for her. And of course his leash reactivity is an issue. It only happens rarely but I'm sure a stranger would be quite overwhelmed if it happened. But just one of our normal walk routes with no reactivity booby-traps he'd do fine I think.

    With Marlowe, he's bomb-proof. He'll let anyone walk him and as long as you know to say "let's go!" if he starts to get distracted by a scent, he's wonderful to walk for anyone. It used to be that he was the one I'd keep and let whoever I was with walk Conrad, but his leash manners have surpassed Conrad's and he's by far the easiest to walk of the two now.
    • Gold Top Dog
    the best way to walk my male Beagle, Kurgan...is with roller skates.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Tookey would be fine, especially if it's the pizza delivery guy!! Gracie still pulls and sometimes can be wary of new people. It's funny, even though she seems so totally alplha over Tookey, when it comes to new situations, or new people, she literally looks to him to see what he thinks. If he doesn't like it or them, and starts to bark, only then will she. 
    • Gold Top Dog
    No. They don't even like strangers to ;pet them. And if a 150 pound great dane doesn't want to walk, he doesn't walk.  I never worry about dog-knappers.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Honestly, no. Never mind a stranger, he doesn't walk nicely for my SO. This may have something to do with my SO's method (let dog have all 6' of leash and run around) but you didn't hear it from me....[sm=angel.gif]
    • Gold Top Dog
    Max would waltz out the door with the Boston Strangler if he snapped his leash on and said "lets go."
     
    Joyce
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    • Gold Top Dog
    not sure - they'd have to know not to say "OK" when he is stalking a squirrel or they'd be in the ride for their lives!
    He is so powerful that I would be very worried if it wasn't someone who was healthy enough to handle him.  I'd like to think he'd be fine, but my gut worries.
    As for being willing as someone else said - he'd walk with anyone for as long and as far as they liked. 
    • Gold Top Dog
    Max would waltz out the door with the Boston Strangler if he snapped his leash on and said "lets go."


    [sm=rotfl.gif]

    Now that I think of it, we did have a complete stranger (to them--he's a family friend of ours) dogsit for us one weekend. He reported they were a little concerned for the first half day but after that were fine, and good on walks. When he first came over, I took the dogs out for a walk with him so I could explain their various quirks and then handed the leashes over to him.
    • Silver
    No my dog wouldnt walk with a stranger. but that is becuase he wouldnt walk at all, he dosnt trust people enough he would never leave with some one he dosnt know. no matter what. One day he got of his leash when I tyed him up outside a store. I ran in and was in there for less then a minute when I looked ou tthe window (I was in a line up to get a coffee and sandwich at timhortons, and I always keep a eye on him when left unattended) I see him gone I ran out dropping my purse in the store. I see 3 people trying to catch him, he took off in the woods. but as soon as he heard me yell his name he came back and heeled at my feet. He was scared and is very weary of people, they would have never got him.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Wolfgang would love to be doggie-knapped. He whines and paws at the fence trying to entice perfect strangers to pet him. Strange behavior for a Malinois/Akita.  However, they'd better use the Easy Walk. Unless you are aware of his pulling and anticipate things like a well marked tree, he's a freight train.
     
    Tasha would be fine, but she puts up a good show so that a stranger would probably not take the chance.
     
    Floyd wouldn't let a stranger enter the property unless they were offering treats and/or ball throwing. However, he'd walk away with any stranger once the leash was on. Marching dutifully, never looking left or right and shedding profusely.
     
     
    • Gold Top Dog
    A total stranger?  No way.  I doubt a total stranger would even be able to get into the house and close enough to the dog to leash him up in the first place.  I don't think he'd bite, but he would put on a scary display for sure. 
     
    • Gold Top Dog
    a stranger could definitly handle my dog, but i would have a hard time trusting them.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Wow all you fiersome doggies! Conrad puts forth a loud display when someone rights the doorbell, but as soon as they're inside, he's all about the love. Marlowe doesn't even care about the doorbell thing. If anyone ever broke in, Conrad and Marlowe would be the first to help them carry out the stereo.
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    • Gold Top Dog
    Total stranger - yes, and I've actually had people comment on it.   She's probably not as crisp as she is with me, but def not trouble. 
     
    Now, someone she knows, who has established a pattern that she doesn't have to listen to them... different story.  She'll blow them off if she feels like it.  That's when our training relationship makes it clear what she's expected to do.