Stop Your Dog From Pulling on His Leash
10 Jan 2010
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The other week my mother-in-law asked me to walk her dog. While her dog is a relatively small dog, I ended up spending the majority of the walk struggling to get her dog to go where I wanted her to go. It was a frustrating experience, and somewhat embarrassing when others saw our struggle.
If this sounds familiar, there is still hope for you. There are things you can do to fix the problem. First, be sure that you are using the right kind of leash and walking equipment. Some leashes work great for some dogs, but are useless for others.
When a dog pulls on a leash, it normally is because they walk faster than we humans normally do. They may get bored while we stand around visiting with our neighbors. Whatever the reason, most of the time pulling on a leash is a natural dog behavior and will require training for them to stop.
A standard nylon buckle collar or a Martingale Collar is the best type of collar for training a dog how to stop pulling on a leash. Don’t try to use a choke collar because they can cause damage to your dog. Find a leash that is not too long, or too short, to give you apple of room to train. A standard six-foot dog leash should work great for this type of training exercise.
If your dog is constantly pulling away from you, a retractable lead can really help. Body harnesses are not meant to be a training tool, so don’t use them. They are especially a bad idea if you own a bigger dog.
The best way to train your dog is by positively reinforcing the times they go where you want them to, and standing stiff when they pull you. Train your dog to keep slack in the leash and praise them. Training collars are also a good training device, though they are not meant to be a permanent control solution.
When you begin your training you should try a place where there will be little distraction. If you can train your dog indoors, that can be a good place to start. If training your dog inside is not ideal, find an area where your dog will be able to clearly hear your commands and won’t have animals or people nearby to distract them.
The luckiest dog owners are ones that train their pets while they are still puppies. However, if you aren’t one of those lucky ones don’t fret. Luckily, you can still teach old dogs new tricks.
Being walked by your dog as opposed to walking your dog can be very annoying and sometimes embarrassing. Jim Witt is an authority on dog training equipment. Jim suggests visiting Country Brook Design for an excellent selection Martingale Training Collars and Dog Leashes.