If you are reading this blog…you have either walked a dog that has pulled, sniffed and lunged to distraction or seen a dog pulling their owner down the street.
Isn’t it irritating?
If your dog isn’t leash trained walking your dog quickly becomes a chore.
In this blog post I am going to talk about 3 easy tips to stop your dog from pulling on their leash.
TIP #1: Get the proper dog walking equipment
Let’s start with saying, a flat collar is not a training device and will not get you the results you desire. That leads us to trying to determine what type of training tool you will use.
Talking with a dog training professional will help you decide exactly what’s right for you and your dog, but one of my favorites is a slip lead. What you need from a slip lead is a good lock, a safety latch, and to make sure it’s soft and flexible. And, if it feels good in your hands and comes in fashionable colors, that’s just a bonus!
Slip leads aren’t the only tool in our tool chest, they just happen to be one of the most popular and most versatile options. You have other tools you can use too. Starmark, chain slips, nylon slips, martingales and prong collars can all be safe and valuable options if you know how to use them correctly. You need to find the right tool that works for you and your dog.
TIP #2: STOPs
It is imperative that you know how to stop your dog for a few practical reasons:
When a situation arises that for safety, requires you to STOP, like at a busy intersection of cars.
Or, if your dog gets silly (ie: grabbing his leash, barking)
or starts doing things you don’t like. (jumping, lunging, nipping at your hands)
STOP, breathe, wait for calm, and then re-start.
Once you have your proper equipment on your dog, start walking. When undesirable behavior starts, stop your dog, have them sit….wait for calm! Waiting for calm is the most important part. Keep repeating this process. Eventually, your dog will decide that all the antics aren’t worth it, and he’ll choose to enjoy the walk along with you! This is a purpose driven activity where you and your dog are working and learning together to establish the rules of a happy and harmonious walk for both of you.
Tip #3 Use your turns!
There are three different types of turns; left, right and about face. You want to use these turns when a dog forges ahead, gets distracted or starts falling behind.
Use your turns to keep control of the walk. Keep your dog guessing, this keeps them focused and responsive to you. It also helps you avoid situations that may be a distraction to your dog.
If you keep at this with consistency, and patience, your dog will be walking nicely on their leash in a very short amount of time! Practice, practice, practice!
Still feeling unsure?! I have put together a video of all of these tips so you can see exactly how I put on the slip lead, what a good stop looks like and how to make your turns. Join my newsletter and I will send you the video (a $29.95 value) for free.
