Teach your dog to Stop pulling and walk on a lose leash
One of the most basic things we usually start all our students on is leash handling skills and leash manners. Teaching your dog to walk on a lose leash will teach your dog to stop pulling and will lay the foundation for heeling.
We’ve been in your shoes before, with a dog who does not want to have it with leash walking and who does not seem to want to listen. Well, read on and watch our video on lose leash walking so you too can start enjoying the walks with your dog.
When teaching your dog to walk on a leash, there are a few things you want to consider that will help you reach your goals:
– Reinforce/praise/reward ONLY when the leash is loose.
– Switch directions everytime the leash gets tight and/or when the dog tries to walk ahead of you.
– You might have to switch directions very often, don’t despair, your dog will eventually understand.
– If possible start this exercise in the comfort of your home or where you can find the LEAST amount of distractions.
– Don’t expect too much to soon, lay a solid foundation that you can build on.
Grab your leash with your right hand (check out the video below to find out how we recommend you to hold the leash). You want your dog on your left and your left hand free to handle the dog or offer a reward. So with your leash in your right hand kind of right in front of your belly button, and a treat in your left you want to simply start walking. Remember to do this in a place where the dog does not have many distractions.
As soon as you start walking you need to start watching the dog and the leash. If the dog gets ahead of you, simply turn in the opposite direction. If he turns with you before the leash gets tight, do not keep tension on the leash, give a quick flick of the wrist and repeat if you have to.
Dogs have an opposition reflex so if you pull in one direction, they will likely pull harder in the other direction. Use as little force as necessary for the dog to understand you. Watch his body language, if he is lagging behind a lot and it is not because of the leash, bubble up a bit. Bubbling up means basically being a jolly bubble, that draws the dog to itself by being happy, squaky and non-threatening.
If the dog is simply not used to a leash, it is helpful to keep giving him very slight pops or soft constant pressure in the worse case if he freezes up completely. The second he takes a step toward you, release the pressure as a reward for having trusted you through the leash pressure.
The leash is our communication tool with our dog, so learn to handle it with care and let it convey your feelings towards your dog. Frustration has no space here, you are teaching the dog how to behave in a human environment, have patience and respect towards the dog and work on the things you can control.
What you can control and will lead to the most success is:
– Timing in rewarding or correcting the dog justly
– Consistency in upholding the same standard every time you have your dog on a leash
– Bringing out the motivation in your dog to train and have fun during his sessions.
AS ALWAYS, REMEMBER THAT EVERY DOG IS DIFFERENT AND EVERY DOG AND DOG PARENT TEAM IS UNIQUE. WHAT WE SHARE IS A TYPE OF GENERIC GUIDANCE THAT MOST OWNERS WILL BE ABLE TO USE. HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC CASES OR ARE NOT GETTING AHEAD, YOU CAN CONTACT US FOR A PRIVATE SESSION, A VIDEO ANALYSIS OF YOUR TRAINING OR A FULL 1 ON 1 COACHING COURSE – EITHER WAY, WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU LEARN HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR DOG, BECAUSE EVERY SUCCESFUL RELATIONSHIP HAS ONE THING IN COMMON: GOOD COMMUNICATION