How do you walk your tiny dog?

All dogs need to be walked, and not just for exercise! Walking is, in this trainer's opinion, one of the single best bonding experiences to be had with any dog, regardless of size or shape.

It breaks my heart that so many owners, and their dogs, are deprived of this.

And unfortunately it seems that the smaller the dog, the less the dog gets walked. Now I don't know if this is because the owners figure that small dogs = small exercise, which can be true in some cases, but more often that not it is because the dog is in the owners arms, or a purse, or in their coat, or in their - well, you get the idea.

I know they're cute. I know they're cuddly.

I know that it is much easier to carry them than it is to walk them, but they still need to be walked.

That being said, most of these dogs don't know what it means to be walked on a leash. Some pull way out in front leading the charge, while others shut down and refuse to move at all. And it is in these situations that owners are more than likely going to pick up their dogs and continue on their way without a second thought.

So how do we teach little dogs leash manners? No one likes to bend over the entire trip around the block (using treats to keep the dog in place), and there is simply too much leash required to "lock in" the dog (by lock in I mean using as little leash as possible to limit freedom while still remaining comfortable).

So I guess this is an open call to all of you out there with tiny dogs: How do you walk them? What works/has worked for you in the past? Any helpful hints as to breaking the dog-carrying habit?