The most common cause of traffic accidents involving dogs is situations where the pet unexpectedly finds itself on the roadway and gets hit by a car, notes dog trainer Vladimir Golubev.
“This is especially relevant for dogs living in urban environments. Dog owners should exercise maximum caution even in their own yards, not allowing their pet to run out of the entrance and not letting them off the leash near the road,” the expert continues.
He emphasizes that dogs should only be allowed to walk off-leash in designated areas. “Under no circumstances should you allow your pet to roam freely near the roadway,” says the specialist.
To teach a dog to safely cross the road, he recommends training the pet in at least two commands — “Stop!” and “Heel!”.
The first command is necessary to stop the dog before the roadway. “When you say this command, the pet should stop and wait until the owner starts moving. To practice this, train with your dog in a park, for example. Say the command ‘Stop!’. At the moment the pet stops, praise them for the correct behavior. Then continue the walk. Gradually, the dog will understand what they are being praised for and will demonstrate the desired behavior,” explains the expert.
After that, he recommends moving on to the command “Heel!”. “Lead the dog through the park next to your chosen leg at a pace that you set. At this moment, praise the pet and reward them with a treat. Then, during such a walk, say the word ‘Heel!’ and continue to reward the dog. Do not use these commands on the roadway until the dog learns to stop and start moving next to you on command,” comments the dog trainer.
Before crossing the street, he advises stopping the dog with the command “Stop!”, and then, waiting for the green light from the traffic signal, start moving by saying the command “Heel!”, so that the pet moves alongside you at the right pace.
If the pet accidentally breaks free and runs away, the dog owner needs to know how to act and what command to give to avoid an accident. In such situations, knowledge of the following commands is useful:
– “Come!” — in case of a dangerous situation, this will help you call the animal to you;
– “Heel!” — this command will allow you to control the dog's movement;
– “Stop!” or “Stand!” — this command is very useful in critical situations when the dog's immobility helps avoid dangerous situations, for example, when a car or cyclist suddenly appears.
