# She walks so close to me I keep tripping!



## Blstr88

Hey guys! Brand new to this board, just bought a GSD as a late Christmas surprise for my fiance. I've had her down here in Virginia with me for a few days now while Im working, heading home to New Hampshire next week.

She's an amazing dog, but whenever we go for walks she seems to stand so close to me that I keep tripping over her! I know there are much worse things to complain about  If thats the worst I need to deal with I suppose I can handle it. She's a great dog and walks on the leash real well, doesnt pull much and I can pretty much direct her by very lightly pulling the leash the way I want to go. And she automatically sits as soon as we stop walking, until we're ready to go again. Very well behaved...just wondering if theres a reason why she feels the need to practically be under my feet when we walk, and if theres a way to correct that?


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## BlackPuppy

I suspect she's just happy to have a home with you. 

At a year and a half old, I'm sure she's large enough for you to see her (I trip over puppies a lot). When she's blocking your way, just stop and say "doggie move" in a calm voice. If she doesn't get out of your way, try to gently guide her out of your path. You will have to repeat this a couple of dozen times before she gets it, probably.

Balto is always in my way as I move around in the morning doing usually morning stuff, and this morning I've had to tell him to move 3 times already.


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## Stosh

That's why they're called 'velcro dogs'! I saw a video on one of the threads, I can't remember which one now, that really worked for me. The guy had his dog on a leash but let it hang loose and kind kind of wandered around with the dog. When the dog wasn't focusing on him, he would gently walked into the dog quietly saying 'move, move' and naturally the dog would move out of the way. I did this several times with mine and if anyone's watching they'll think you're nuts, but it helped a lot. Stosh still stands right in the way of anywhere I want to go but he does move when I tell him to. Congrats on the new pup! What's her name?


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## Lesley1905

I trip all the time over my dogs too. I almost fell down the stairs one time..I'd rather it be me then step on them and hurt them. The things we do for our kids....


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## Emoore

I just bump them with my knees. Not hard enough to hurt them, but enough to know they're in the way.


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## Zoeys mom

Get used to it I trip over my girl at least a dozen times a day, she regularly removes my flip flops when she's walking behind me, and is never more than a few feet away from me at any given time unless she is in her crate. GSD's are just like that


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## Deuce

Emoore said:


> I just bump them with my knees. Not hard enough to hurt them, but enough to know they're in the way.


Me too. It's a German Shepherd thing.


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## JessiRyan

Zoeys mom said:


> Get used to it I trip over my girl at least a dozen times a day, she regularly removes my flip flops when she's walking behind me, and is never more than a few feet away from me at any given time unless she is in her crate. GSD's are just like that


mine is like that to. I took her to my grandparents for the first time, ive only had her five days now, and my grandparents could not believe how attached to me she is. I cant move with out her getting up to see what i am doing. She even wakes up periodically during the night to make sure im still there and haven't snuck away. she will constantly walk on my right side with her head slightly bent towards me, even without a lease.


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## Elaine

If your dog gets in the way on a walk, you can either bump her with your knees, step on her toes if they are in the way, or use your foot to bump her legs if she's in front of you, and then act all happy and praise her because it's her fault and you don't want her to blame you for it.


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## Blstr88

Haha thanks guys! Yeah I dont get the sense its a bad thing on her part really, probably just wants to be near and isnt realizing how in the way she is.

I do notice though, she likes to stay on my left side mostly. And shes constantly drifting to the right almost kinda "pushing" me that way. I might need to bring her in for a front wheel alignment 

Today I just picked a straight line in front of me and i STUCK TO IT. She was bumping into my left leg kinda but I just kept walking dead straight, keeping her in line with me.

Again, I dont know if thats some sort of "bad behavior" that I should do something about ASAP? I've read a lot of things about dogs "testing the waters" to see if the owner is really the "alpha leader" and all...does this sound like it might be along those lines?

If I stretch my arm (left arm, if shes on my left side, holding the leash) out to the left and kinda pull her head to the left lightly she generally steers that way, but then a few seconds later she's pulling to the right again...


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## Hansel & Gretel

Blstr88 said:


> Haha thanks guys! Yeah I dont get the sense its a bad thing on her part really, probably just wants to be near and isnt realizing how in the way she is.
> 
> I do notice though, she likes to stay on my left side mostly. And shes constantly drifting to the right almost kinda "pushing" me that way. I might need to bring her in for a front wheel alignment
> 
> Today I just picked a straight line in front of me and i STUCK TO IT. She was bumping into my left leg kinda but I just kept walking dead straight, keeping her in line with me.
> 
> Again, I dont know if thats some sort of "bad behavior" that I should do something about ASAP? I've read a lot of things about dogs "testing the waters" to see if the owner is really the "alpha leader" and all...does this sound like it might be along those lines?
> 
> If I stretch my arm (left arm, if shes on my left side, holding the leash) out to the left and kinda pull her head to the left lightly she generally steers that way, but then a few seconds later she's pulling to the right again...


I don't buy into to all that alpha leader stuff. My dogs accepted me as their leader mainly beacuse they get their food and water and love from me. Not much more than that. I think she is trying to stay "in contact" with you just to make sure you are still with her. 

My female did the same thing. Now that I broke her of the leg contact thing, she looks back over her shoulder about every 30 seconds, just to make sure I am still there.


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## Wolfiesmom

I asked my trainer about this same thing. She said it's a GSD thing, and just get used to it. LOL!


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## ZebsMommy

Mine refuses to walk in front of me. He's always either by my side, bumping me , or slightly behind to keep an eye on me. It took a while for my velcro dog to not jump up everytime my husband or I move around the house. He always picks a vantage point where he can see both of us. From the hall he can see living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. Where we are depends on how he faces. When we're both in the lving room though, right at my side on the couch with his head in my lap. Such a big baby


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## Stosh

You could try walking her in figure 8's- set up two things in the driveway like two garbage cans or something obvious like that, then put her on the lead and start in the center and walk around one, then the other. Try keeping her head in the same position by your side which means she'll have to change speeds as you walk to the right 'post' then to the left. I'd use treats to lure her. It's not like she has to be perfect but she'll catch on to where you want her to be and you change directions. Make sure it's lots of fun and exciting with treats and praise


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## DCluver33

Dodger is so attached to me I can't even go to the bathroom without him trying to come in with me. He tried cutting me off and I just walked right into him stepping on is toes causing him to yelp, but he hasn't walked in front of me since. now all I have to do is tell him to move and he stays clear of me lol


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## Jax08

Emoore said:


> I just bump them with my knees. Not hard enough to hurt them, but enough to know they're in the way.


Me too. I got serious about bumping her out when we were out walking one day and I went right over top of her because she was on my leg. I sat in the middle of the road, thinking my foot might be broke, while DH's cousin waved to me. As if me sitting in the middle of the road was an every day occurrence.


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## Tropism

I, also, don't think this is some kinda 'dominance' or 'alpha leader' thing. If anything, because the dog is sticking like glue to -you-, it's because it sees you as its leader. 

(I think that -most- behaviors that're interpreted as 'dominant' are likely mislabeled. Dominance is, simply, about priority access to resources. If your dog lets you take things from it, lets you deny it attention without being unruly, doesn't 'guard' you inappropriately (remember, you're a resource too!) and lets you do things like shove it over when you want to sit on the couch too, it's not being dominant.)


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## PaddyD

I don't see where you state her age and size. Don't want to be stepping on the toes of a baby. You can gently move her aside with your foot and she will get the idea after a while. Can't tell you how many times I stepped on mine when she was little and was very worried about hurting her. As the others said: "Velcro dog". Plus the fact that, if she is little, she is harder to see out of the corner of your eye. Additionally, since she is new to you, you haven't trained yourself to look out for her EVERY SECOND.


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## Blstr88

She's 18 months. Not fully grown but certainly no baby.

I went to a friend of mines house last night for a big bonfire/party. They've got a good sized farm and a lot of people brought there dogs. After an hour or so when it seemed like no other dogs were bothering each other, we let her off the leash. I am absolutely amazed at how incredible she is, she never went far from us at all the entire night! A few times she'd run after another dog playing, but she'd come right back to me after and sit down next to us. Everyone was so amazed how well behaved she was! So maybe her staying real close to me isnt such a bad thing heh...


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## Stosh

What a good girl! Glad the 'velcro' came in handy that night. I've actually taught the command 'close' for when we're walking off leash and I want him near me but not in a heeling position. You're way ahead on that one


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## PaddyD

Blstr88 said:


> She's 18 months. Not fully grown but certainly no baby.
> 
> I went to a friend of mines house last night for a big bonfire/party. They've got a good sized farm and a lot of people brought there dogs. After an hour or so when it seemed like no other dogs were bothering each other, we let her off the leash. I am absolutely amazed at how incredible she is, she never went far from us at all the entire night! A few times she'd run after another dog playing, but she'd come right back to me after and sit down next to us. Everyone was so amazed how well behaved she was! So maybe her staying real close to me isnt such a bad thing heh...


18 months = pretty much full grown. Mine is 18 months also and behaves very similarly. Very velcro at dog park until she finds a dog of similar playful temperament then off she goes.


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## Cassidy's Mom

I don't deliberately step on my dogs' toes, although when they're underfoot I sometimes do it accidentally! I will walk into them, bumping them out of the way, and also use my knee to nudge them to the side if they're crowding me. 

In addition to what others have suggested, you might try doing a lot of left about face turns. If she's in the way you're going to walk into her and she'll soon learn to move out of the way. I taught Halo by saying "turn" and then stepping immediately in front of her with my left foot and spinning around and walking the opposite direction. At first I bumped into her a lot, but eventually she started turning on her own as soon as she heard the cue. 

She has a nice automatic sit when we stop walking, but sometimes it's a bit crooked, with her butt sticking out. Some people use a dowel against the outer flank to guide the dog into a straight sit, but out on a walk I want to carry as little extra stuff as possible, so if I see she's about to sit crooked I bring my right knee around and gently nudge her shoulder. That causes her to pivot and bring her butt into line. 

You can do that while walking too, if she wraps around you so that she's in your way and causing you to trip just swing your right knee across your body and give a little nudge to her shoulder. Guiding her gently with the leash (as you're doing) is fine too, especially if she already understands that as a cue. I like this method of teaching the dog to yield to leash pressure: 

Silky Leash Video – How to Train Leash Walking | Ahimsa Dog Training, Seattle | Dog and Puppy Tips from Seattle |

Silky Leash is great for teaching dogs not to pull on leash too.


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## vomlittlehaus

If she were in a Schutzhund trial she would do well in the heeling exercise. Constant contact with the handlers leg is what they look for. She was obviously trained to heel. Could be the way she was trained. Now if you are talking AKC style obedience, you would get points taken off for the dog bumping you. You could try walking with the leash behind your back and held in your right hand. That will keep her from forging ahead and getting infront of you. Sounds like a well behaved dog.


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