Dogs are special companions that can be trained to do so many things. But there’s one thing, in particular, they always seem to want to do: walk in front of you when you’re walking them! It seems like nearly every dog owner has had this experience at some point, and it can get frustrating for both the dog and the human. Is your pup constantly leading the way? Read on for a few possible reasons why dogs might insist on being in front of their humans during walks!
Pack Animals
Dogs are pack animals and want to be in front of their humans because it makes them feel more safe and secure. They know where their pack/home/territory is, and they want to protect it. When a dog walks in front, they can see if anything is approaching, such as an intruder (although typically, your pup will likely bark at this person). This makes them feel like they’re the protector of the pack!
They Don’t Know Any Better
It’s important to remember that dogs learn from their environments. They don’t necessarily know any better when it comes to walking in front of you or not since they subconsciously pick up on human behaviors and act accordingly. That doesn’t mean your pup isn’t capable of learning new tricks, though! Keep in mind that pups usually learn best from positive reinforcement, so keep it fun!
Other Pets
If you have other pets in your home or on your property, it might influence why your dog insists on being out in front all the time when you go for walks. Dogs are pack animals, and when there is more than one dog in a family/pack situation, one will sometimes try to take control of the group dynamic. Or sometimes, if you have two dogs, one might try to claim territory in front while the other stays behind. This behavior is natural for these animals, so don’t worry too much about it!
Catching Food
Sometimes dogs tend to walk in front of their humans simply because they’re hungry! If you tend to feed them at the end of your walks or before they go out (or even if you only feed them after your pup does something good, like “sit”), then they may be walking in front of you on purpose. Of course, this isn’t true for every dog out there, but it’s certainly something to consider if your pup insists on always leading the way when you head outside.
