Every book I read says that you should walk a dog on a left. Would it make a difference if you walked a dog on the right?

away from the kerb edge is best.
Choosing to walk the dog on the right hand side means that when walking down country lanes with no pavements the dog is out of the way of traffic (or the other way around in countries where traffic is on the right side of the road). Most training schools will encourage you to use the left hand side (competitive obedience uses this side), so that is where we will assume the dog to be. If an owner is really dedicated, they can chose to train to both sides (with a different command for each side).

with 6 dogs i dont hav emuch choice lol. anna.x.

the keep left rule is supposed to be so as not to confuse the dog, and for competitive obedience, but at ringcraft you're supposed to be able to walk on either side to show your dog off to best advantage whichever direction you walk the dog in (and so you're not between the judge and the dog), unless you have a beagle, in which case they always show on the left :roll:

So long as your dog knows that he/she can't chop and change, it's your choice which side is walked on, you should be fine. Our pet JRT was fine staying on whichever side you put him

I'm with anna, i have two who walk on the left, 1 on the right and a fourth who pleases itself(it's not mine).
They don't like changing positions either.

Only disadvantage of walking dog on the left is that 30 years of walking dogs as such have resulted in a bad left shoulder !!!!!

.... ringcraft you're supposed to be able to walk on either side to show your dog off...unless you have a beagle, in which case they always show on the left :roll:
Why the differance with Beagles?

When I was showing dogs you had to walk them on the left side. When my dog is on the lead which isn't all that often as she is quite well trained I walk her on the left as that is what I'm used to. I don't suppose it makes much difference really if it's a pet a dog.

I've always had my dog in my right hand and therefore further away from the road - makes sence to me!

I would have thought as most people are right handed dog on the left makes sense, lead in right hand across body and checking with left hand when necessary.

When teaching my German Shepherd's to walk to heal, with and without a lead.!
I was taught by a Police dog handler to always walk them on my left handside..
Some thing that i have carried on doing with all my dogs since then.
Also if you pass another person right shoulder to right shoulder with another dog, you can keep the dogs away for each other..

jt

It would be much more convenient for me to have Molly on my left hand side because my right arm is the one that doesn't work properly, but her previous owner had her with a head collar on the right and she gets really freaked out and panicky if you try to walk with her on your left (unless there's lots of loud traffic on that side then she cowers on your left).

The most I've managed with her on my left is a couple of hundred yards then she's straight back to where she's comfortable on my right. Thankfully she's learned that if you want to change sides you walk round the back rather than making the human trip over you!

I usually walk Takara on the left and Eddy on the right and as such the muscles in my arms have strengthened differently! I find it difficult to have them the other way around now as Eddy was a well established puller when I got him at 11 1/2 and still pulls but only gently and steadily whereas Takara really tries to walk close but every now and again will lunge so my arms cope differently with the different pulling types!

As for how you should do it... I originally taught Takara on the left but she now knows 'swap' meaning: 'walk behind me to the other side' (something we only do when out just the two of us without Eddy!) and will walk on either side - I think that's the best way to do it so your dog can deal with whichever you choose for whatever reason!

Why the differance with Beagles?
No idea :confused: perhaps something to do with interrupting their pace? *shrugs*