(Avisa Nordland): A new survey YouGov has carried out on behalf of Musti shows that almost half – 46 per cent – of all dog owners do not know when they are on a leash. But from 1 April all dogs must be kept on a leash or securely fenced.
It lasts until August 20.
Communications manager at the Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK), Cecilie Holgersen, explains why.
– The leash must protect buffalo and game during a vulnerable period, and it must be respected by all dog owners, says Holgersen in a press release.
Want more free areas for dogs
NKK works politically to ensure the dog’s rights to run freely, also during the leash period. This is because it is a natural behavior in dogs.
– Freedom of movement for dogs is a topic NKK is very concerned about, we therefore work politically to improve dogs’ rights. This work will continue until we see good enough results. Among other things, we work with the municipalities to make them aware of leash regulations that are not in line with the Dogs Act and by encouraging them to look after dog welfare by arranging suitable free areas for dogs, explains Holgersen.
Millie Klæboe is responsible for the dog school in Musti. Here she trains many dog trainers a year.
She believes the leash is a good opportunity to train the dog to walk nicely on a leash.
– Most dogs will optimally run loose. But with the right kind of stimuli on a walk, such as a sniff or a work task, most dogs find it okay to walk on a leash. My ideal is dogs that don’t pull or walk on a tight line, says Klæboe.
Never too late
Klæboe says that the easiest thing is to start leash training when the dog is a puppy. It is still entirely possible to teach an adult dog to walk nicely on a leash.
– I recommend using both a harness and collar when you train. When the walk starts, and the dog is full of energy, it should be allowed to go in the harness to sniff and defecate. After a while you can connect to the collar. Just before the dog starts pulling on the leash, you call it to you and give it a treat. When the dog is walking with a collar, it should ideally not pull. I recommend training for a couple of minutes with a collar, and then go back on the harness. It is extra important to keep the sessions short if you are training with a puppy. You can increase the time with the collar gradually.
The survey was carried out by YouGov on behalf of Musti in the period 4 January–14. January 2024. 325 dog owners have answered the question about being kept on a leash.
This is how the dog owners answered the question “Do you know when it’s on a leash?” :
- 54 percent – Yes, April 1 to August 20
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18 percent – Yes, from 1 May to 20 September
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2 percent – Yes, from 1 June to 20 October
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26 percent – No
