The number one fear of any Havanese owner is that their dog will get out the front door and immediately run into the street where they will get hit by a car. It’s a horrible fate and one that even the best behaved dog is in danger of if you’re not careful.

So, how do you stop your dog from running off and getting hit by a car? There are a few specific training exercises that will get your dog in line. But, be prepared to pour a bit of effort into the process. After all, they want out that door.

Keeping Them in the House

Number one, and always most important is to keep your Havanese in the house. Most dogs that get away and hit, are ones that managed to sneak out the door to enjoy the great outdoors. You can’t blame them. It’s all they want – a chance to get outside and see everything the world has to offer.

But, simply sticking your foot out when you go out the door isn’t going to get the job done. You need to teach her that the door is yours and they cannot go through it. To do this, train them to sit and wait whenever you go near the door.

You’ll need to set a boundary near your door and not let your dog ever pass this boundary without your leave. Everyone in the family will need to abide by the same rules – something that can often be hard to control.

As you train her, provide treats whenever she sits and waits successfully for you to open the door. Eventually, if you can go to the door, open it and step foot outside without your dog trying to go with you, you’ll be able to worry far less when someone else opens that door.

Leash Training and Curb Control

Another important way to protect your dog is to properly train them on a leash. A dog that has proper respect of the leash and the space they have available to them outside is far less likely to run away if the leash falls.

To do this, never let your dog pull ahead of you. Additionally, don’t let your dog sniff anything without getting your go ahead. I like to control the pace of the walk for 15 minutes before letting my dog sniff anything. Then, the sniffing becomes a reward that you offer up for their good walking.

Additionally, always have your dog sit and wait patiently at curbs and corners. Your dog should never be permitted to cross the street without your express permission.

This creates the same effect as not letting them near the door. They will eventually recognize that the street is something they do not have leave to pass without you. Ideally, if all else fails, they will then stop at the curb if they do get outside, instead of running openly into the street.

Keeping a Close Eye on Your Dog

With all the precautions in the world, it is impossible to ensure your dog never gets out the front door or pulls the leash out of your hand. That is why training is so incredibly important. As you can see, it is not just for your convenience – but for the dog’s safety.

The second you start letting your dog run off down the street without you or giving them free reign over the yard, you teach them that they have no boundaries outside. Cars become a much more enticing target when this happens. Your goal should be to protect them, keeping them away from threats like the street.Practice the points stated above and you’ll never need to worry about this terrible event from happening.

The post Ways to Prevent Your Havanese From Getting Hit By a Car first appeared on Puppy Blog.

A leash is going to be an integral part of almost every dog and dog owner’s life. A dog will spend countless hours on the end of a leash and this time should be a happy, positive time for both the dog and the walker to be together. The goal of this article is to teach every dog owner how to make leash walking a pleasure.

Dog leash training is also one of the most basic parts of dog training. What is the best time to start dog leash training? The training of a puppy should start when your puppy is about 6-7 weeks old. The best and the fastest way to get good results is tousle the positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement in dog leash training means every time your puppy performs well, you should praise lavishly and you can give your dog a small treat. The positive reinforcement method works much better than any other method available for training dogs. You will need to take your dog for a walk on a leash once or twice a day so it gets the required exercise and it can relieve itself outside, unless you live on a ranch of course, and your dog can walk by himself whenever he wants.

The first command you may want to teach your dog is “Heeling”. Before you start, you are going to need your leash and some treats or some other kind of reward. Your dog should know how to “sit”, “stay”, “look” and the “come in” command before you begin training “heel”.

Heeling is a more formal technique of walking a dog on a leash. The dog is expected to sit quietly on the left side of the handler. The moment that the walker moves the dog should respond. The dog should be right at the owner’s side at all times. If the dog is large enough the owner should be able to touch the dog’s head at any moment. The owner should be able to change direction or speed and the dog is expected to keep pace and remain right with the handler. The moment the handler stops moving the dog is expected to sit. The command is not complete until the dog has done the “sit” and the walker gives a release command.

You can use a nylon lead for the first time which is light and yet strong enough, or a choker collar would be good to keep the dog from pulling on the lead, though the best would be gentle tugging with a stern command. As mentioned before, the best way for your dog leash training is the positive reinforcement method. You walk in front of the dog and call it to you. When it comes, you give it a treat and praise it. Keep repeating this process while gradually increasing the distance you have the dog walk with you, along with you. Every time it does it without pulling or staying behind you reward it. It will surely take time and patience, but it will be fun for you and the dog.

The post Making Your Dog Heel first appeared on Puppy Blog.