Tips to ensure ‘Petiquette’

Do you find taking your dog for a walk in the park is like a walk on the wild side? Or is taking

your dog to a pet-friendly restaurant fraught with tension? Or does your dog bark his/her head off every time someone passes your house, shattering your neighbors’ eardrums, or worse, provoking every pet dog that is walked past your house by a dog walker?

If your answer is “yes” to all of the above, maybe it’s time to teach your dog some very

essential ‘petiquette’.

1. Leash training: Before you set out for the great big outdoors with your pampered pooch,

do ensure that you have taught him/her to walk calmly on the leash at your side,

without pulling or tugging every time another dog, cat or cow is sighted on the road or

at the park. It is imperative for your pet to be calm and controlled, to avoid traumas for

all concerned. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about having been in this position

before, and lived to talk about it…

2. Obedience: When you decide to take your dog to a pet-friendly restaurant, are you

confident that s/he will behave? A restaurant (even a pet-friendly one) is the last place

you would want your dog to go on a rampage. Think about this - a pet-friendly

restaurant is likely to be full of adults, children and pets - all of them with as much right

as you have, to be there. And all of them come there to chill and hang out with their

families and pets. So, even a single disruptive pet is likely to create chaos and ruin the

occasion for everyone. If you don’t want to be the cause of this disruption, do ensure

that your pet is obedient to your commands; sits quietly by your side; does not get

aggressive with other people and their pets; and generally, behaves like an angel!

3. Hostility: Is your dog aggressive with people when they pass your house? Or hostile to

other dogs such as strays that pass by, or pet dogs being walked? Do remember, other

dogs will not take this behavior lying down and are likely to respond just as aggressively,

which can cause serious control issues for the pet parents, or dog walkers, they are

with. It is extremely difficult (and annoying) for pet parents who are hanging on to their

pets who are like bucking broncos and trying to drag them away from your house. It can

be a painful (physically and mentally) experience for them. So, if your dog is territorial

even with dogs that are passing your house, do ensure that you keep them indoors until

the coast is clear. It just isn’t fair to others to have to put up with this situation. Would

you like to be in their shoes?

These are just a few of the situations that can arise when pet etiquette (petiquette!) is very

important, and it’s up to you to ensure that it is maintained, to enjoy the time you spend with

your pet. A little training, and patience, is all that’s needed.