# Walking your dog on the Left or Right?



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I walk Ky on the left and Bentley on the right. It doesn't really matter though. In class the trainer makes us work with him on the left but when we go for walks with Ky he doesn't care at all which side he's on as long as we're walking


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Molly walks casually on both sides but I think we both prefer the left. It has nothing to do with traffic or other people. It's just that in obedience the dog heels on the left so that is what we became accustomed to. When people pass by I can generally get Molly to ignore them. 


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

Max is always on my left when we go for walks. Just feels natural to me. On the left is what we do in obedience class.


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## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

Max's Dad said:


> Max is always on my left when we go for walks. Just feels natural to me. On the left is what we do in obedience class.


I'll be attending an Intermediate obedience class on 12/29 with Renny. I'm a little nervous about whether the trainer will require the dog to be on the left! Oh well, I guess it really doesn't matter. The point is, the dog should learn how to heel no matter what side he's on! :bowl:


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Same answer really as on Brave's thread. 

If my dogs are "working" then they need to be on my left. Meaning if I'm training for comp, they need to learn that their home base is in heel position. And/or if we are walking through a crowd somewhere, I reel them in. 

And I'm left handed so I prefer them to be on that side anyway since it's my stronger side. 

But if we are just walking out and about, I don't give a hoot which side the dogs walk on or if they are a foot to the side or front. As long as they aren't pulling or pooping (my pet peeve when it comes to dog walkers), it doesn't really matter.

ETA - I guess I should add that Bertie's is pretty much always on the right because I'm trying to walk him on the grass vs the road. That will change as he grows up a bit more, but right now while he's so little I'm still babying him.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Always on the left, because I want her to be use to that side for training.

For a few months, I would just move over to the left to keep her from lunging toward other dogs / people. Thankfully, she doesn't do that anymore. She just turns her head and looks at them until they're out of her sight now. LOL.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

We were taught left side. Now it is just natural.


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## mana (Feb 20, 2012)

We were taught by one trainer to walk our dog on the left due to the way we placed the choke collar on the neck. I don't use that type of choke collar anymore and walk my dog on either side of me. Mostly he walks on the side where the grass is.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

Being right handed it seemed natural to walk with the dog on the right and as OP noted seems to work well with the normal pattern of sidewalk use. The first trainer I ever consulted and all since have said the norm is to train dog on left. I was told this went all the way back to when dogs were used for hunting etc. and gents had their gun or other weapon on their right and wanted the dog on the opposite side. Don't know if this is true or lore.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

I am with Megora, if it is just a walk for fun, I could care less. Beamer is usually in front anyway. Of course, with training it is almost always a must for the left side (unless we are working on agility).


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I walk with the dogs on my left ,most of the time,but we do not have sidewalks.


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## Suni52 (Jan 18, 2012)

Sadie does the majority of our walking on my left. If for some reason I want her on the right I tell her to do a switch behind me and come around right. We don't have sidewalks in our neighborhood though, so we do our walking in the street. Now I think its just more comfortable for both of us.


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## beemerdog (Dec 1, 2012)

Summer generally walks on my left. I tried saying heel when training and all she would pull on the leash.

One day I got rather frustrated and out of exasperation, I said "Oh, for crying out loud, will you walk nice?" Summer stopped pulling and went to my left side and walked just like she was supposed to.

Ever since, when I tell her to walk nice and she does. Even off leash.


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## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

At the reservoir where we walk, Maddie is mostly off leash. We train her to walk on the left side (with the heel command) and to walk on the right side (with the side command). We have her switch back and forth. Leave her on a stay and walk away then use either left hand or right (for heel or side [or the verbal commands heel or side]) to get her to return to walking next to us.

It has been useful when we see an aggressive looking dog or timid elderly looking person who might not want our dog too close. We just have her switch sides.


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## Sydney's Mom (May 1, 2012)

My trainer would say whatever works - just be consistent.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

Mick was ambidextrous. He behaved on both sides.


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## Door (Apr 2, 2010)

I like dog on left side. This is how we trained. But, this is a free country and I feel strongly you should do what you want. I like the left because that is how it supposed to be in Obedience competition and I believe it is what is recommended for the CGC test. I am a big advocate of the CGC test. That said, I have a friend that does training for foster dogs he says his foster dog organization has them train for both sides.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

For me it has always been the left since we were doing so much agility. Boy do I wish I had worked the other side as well - what a pain in the butt it is for agility when he is constantly crossing to be on my left. Silly man!


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## Seagodess (Dec 6, 2012)

I dont have mine yet, we get her next week. We will be training her on both sides. For me it depends on where we are walking and what I am doing with my other hand on what side I want the dog on. We will not be doing any compititions or anything, she will just be a family pet and walking will be for fun and exercise. I think people should do what they feel comfortable with, not what others tell them they need to do.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

I have trained all my dogs to walk on either side in hunt because I am right handed BaWaaJige is on my left but my son is right hand but shoots left handed so he has ATEM on his right side for hunt but left side for obedience.


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## Jen & Brew (Oct 11, 2012)

I try to walk Brew on my right side, but he feels walking circles around me suites him better....


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Unless performing in obedience, hunting or agility, does it matter which side? (Rhetorical question but feel free to answer!  ) Frankly, I want my dogs to be able to heel off-leash wherever I put them, so I think more versatile is better.


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## Wendy427 (Apr 4, 2009)

Thanks for all the input, folks!


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