When you go for a walk in the park, one sight that is not uncommon to see is a dog pulling on its leash. In fact, you may have seen it plenty of times in real life and in television and movies. While it may seem like a natural thing to occur, it is very much of a hassle for the dog owner. And if you are one, chances are you have had this experience before.
The thing is, a leash is not something that a dog automatically adapts to. Genetics dictate that dogs feel free to run and walk around without their throats cuffed, linked to a rope, and the end of that rope tied to the arm of its owner. They will want to pull to get to the things that pique their interest, and your response is most likely to pull back as well.
However, this method of stopping the behavior of dogs pulling on their leash is not very effective. It does not communicate to the dog that they should not pull, because they just think you are responding in turn! What really works is to stop the walk completely if the dog pulls at the leash. You should only resume your walk once the dog stops or makes an effort to slow down.
Leash pulling is problem for hundreds of dogs the world over, and simply pulling on the leash to sort of reign them in rarely bring about the results that you want. When a dog pulls on its leash, it is not trying to assert dominance over you; it is simply excited and would like to approach and smell things as much as it can.
Therefore, you should not get mad at a dog that excitedly tugs at its leash and nor should you take it as an opportunity to assert your alpha status over it.
What you should focus on, however, is taking control of this situation. As with all other areas of the dog’s life (obedience training, for example), the job of the pet owner is to put limits when it comes to the things that the dog can access – not just in the house, but also in the outside world.
What will really work is to show the dog that their pulling on their leash will hinder your entire walk (by having the two of you stand to the side, stopping altogether) and you will see that many of your problems with leash-pulling will have been solved.
Make Changes to Your Walking Ritual
If you want your strategy at curbing leash-pulling to be effective, you should begin revising the walking behavior of your dog at the very moment that you grab onto its leash. You will probably notice that your dog picks up quite quickly on such a signal; that when you get its leash it means it is almost time for a walk outside.
Taking control of such a situation is very important in setting up their own reactions in the first few minutes that the two or you are on your walk. When you grab the leash and the dog starts jumping around or even whining in excitement, you should put the leash down and wait for the dog to become calm enough. Only then will you pick up the leash again and prepare for your walk.
It can take about five or ten minutes for such exuberance to die down, and this is time worth waiting for. It may seem like such a cute thing for your dog to be overly excited about going for a walk, but it will make the walk less calm and relaxing if it continues to act on its overenthusiasm later on. Wait for the dog to be in a calm, quiet and sitting position before you open the door.
Once outside, it is a good idea for a dog to relieve itself right away so you it will feel more comfortable for the duration of your walk. You can let it poke around for a bit, too, but always maintain control and put limits on what they can and cannot explore. If it starts to pull on the leash, do not pull back; just stop, make your dog sit, and then resume the walk.
Teaching a dog the proper behavior while leashed can take some time, and can even stretch out your walk from a mere twenty minutes to as long as forty five minutes. Trust that the extension will be worth it, though – as you are investing in your dog’s behaviors which will make future walks with it so much more relaxed.
And if you remain consistent with stopping when the dog pulls, it will soon learn that when the make attempts to bolt it will mean that the walk will be stopped – and this is something that they do not want to happen.
Using words will not be as effective because they cannot understand what you are saying. Actions, however, are very good at signaling to the dog the results of its actions and which ones it should do to get what it wants.
You can also bring a small chew toy and whip it out in order to distract the dog from the things in the environment that it wants to get a hold of. When it starts pulling in the direction of a squirrel, for example, whip out the toy and have your dog play with it for a while until it has gotten over its short-term fixation with the other thing.
Going on a walk with your dog while it is on a leash should not be something to dread. It can actually be one of the most relaxing things you can do with your furry friend. It’s a great bonding moment provided that you are able to train it properly to walk with you and not pull on a leash.
If you remain consistently firm but loving while teaching it the right behavior, you will soon look forward to your walks in the coming days and weeks.
Do you wish your dog would walk on a leash calmly and quietly without pulling? CLICK HERE to watch this FREE Step-by-Step Video from Doggy Dan’s Program!
When do you start training a puppy to walk on a leash? I have a 2 month old Shihtzh