Walking On Leash

[BBNZ]

Hello

I would appreciate any advice/tips to help me to stop my dog from constantly pulling on the leash.

I usually try to calm her down a bit before she starts her walk i.e. sit and stay for a short while (as she is too energetic and eager), but when I start the walk she just keeps pulling me. Only near the end is gets tired and stops pulling me, but even then she does at times pull when she is tired.

[WinGus]

Hi BBNZ

I have the same problem, although my dog is only 3.5kg, so thankfully I still have arms by the end of the walk!!!

I recently implemented a system whereby when I feel even the slightest tension on the leash, I just stop, don't say a thing and let her figure out what it is that I want her to do. She will get distracted and sniff everything around, and even winge a bit, but eventually she will stop and look at me. When that happens, and the leash is slack, then I praise her or reward her with a treat and off we go again.

What you are teaching the dog is that you are in control and the "pack", ie. you and the dog, only move on when you say so. It also teaches them that the looser the leash, the more they get to walk.

I do have to say though that you don't get very far on your walks, or if you do, it takes FOREVER!!! This method also takes a lot of time to perfect, but I think my baby is finally getting the hint! When I stop now, she walks around me, back to my left side and looks up at me, waiting for me to tell her it's okay to continue. Couldn't get any better than that!! But this definitely doesn't happen all the time!!! She's only a perfect angel in my dreams!!!

Good luck!

Oh, I should also add that it helps if you are doing this in a quiet street without a lot of cars or people to distract your dog.

[BC]

I would suggest joining a good dog obedience club to get some general obedience skills happening and have a chat about different methods of getting your dog to walk calmly on a lead.

But another method is, as soon as you feel tension, quickly and sharply turn the other way and continue to walk, and then again, and again and again everytime there is tension. You may be doing 20 quick turns up and down in a straight line, but the dog will soon click.

[mic-mic]

Hello

I would appreciate any advice/tips to help me to stop my dog from constantly pulling on the leash.

I usually try to calm her down a bit before she starts her walk i.e. sit and stay for a short while (as she is too energetic and eager), but when I start the walk she just keeps pulling me. Only near the end is gets tired and stops pulling me, but even then she does at times pull when she is tired.

Hi, you could try having a little treat in your hand to keep your dogs attention on you and always praise your dog when she does good. Your dog should never pull you along its being dominant over you. Let her know its not acceptable to pull, a little tug on the lead and a strong load BAA may alo do the trick. Do you let her get away with everything and getting her own way? Maybe she needs to know who`s boss.

Hope this helped. Good luck

[Tonymc]

BBNZ,many people without being aware of it teach their Dog to pull when on a lead.You have the Dog on the lead and away you go.The Dog is keen to go and starts to pull.Then you pull back against the Dog but your still moving forward in the direction the dog wants to go.This teaches the Dog "If I pull I will get to where I want to go.

I would ask does the Dog know how to get release of pressure.One method is tostart off walking the Dog with a lead at least 6 Ft long or better.Start off in the direction you wish to go.leave the Lead slack and obvisouly in this case the Dog will head off infront of you.When the Dog has just about run out of lead,turn around and quickly walk the other way.The Dog will experience a shock or jolt from the Lead and will then turn around and see only your back and you moving away.The Dog will of course want to catch with up you,which she will do.As she catches up as soon as she moves into position beside you where you want her,praise her.Then she will of course want to go ahead again.When she moves ahead again,repeat the exercise and again praise her when she is where you want her to be.

Doing this exercise will not cure Her in five minutes.You will need to be consistent until the habit changes.You are just teaching the Dog that if she stays beside you it is a comfort zone. Tony

[4leggedvariety]

For many years, I let my dogs out on the full length of the lead, usually 4' & they are allowed to sniff or do whatever as long as they don't pull on it. If they do, I give them a pop on the collar (flat collar). Nowadays, I don't. I usually walk 3 dogs at the same time and together they weigh 85kg . I put the 52kg dog on a figure of 8 head collar & he is as light as a breeze. I put the others' flat collars up high behind their ears and have it quite tight so they won't slide down to the shoulders and I shorten their leads so they are by my side. If they pull & tighten the leads, a give them a sideways pop. No saying nothing, just pop and release & keep moving on a short loose lead. I usually walk very fast initially to make it easier for them. Once they have expended a bit of energy, I can slow down somewhat. They have to walk at the pace I am walking. They are not allowed to sniff or pee until I say ok, so we walk in this controlled fashion for a little while, have a sniff around and then controlled walk for a while and so on.

This way, they are still getting their exercise, they are still having a chance to interact with the environment but most importantly it puts me in control of their behaviours. I decide what they do, when they do it and that helps to create respect for me. I learn that from Cesar Millan ' The Dog Whisperer', and have found it made good sense.

[BBNZ]

Hi, you could try having a little treat in your hand to keep your dogs attention on you and always praise your dog when she does good. Your dog should never pull you along its being dominant over you. Let her know its not acceptable to pull, a little tug on the lead and a strong load BAA may alo do the trick. Do you let her get away with everything and getting her own way? Maybe she needs to know who`s boss.

Hope this helped. Good luck

I usually try and keep the leash a little short at the moment so she isn't too far ahead for me. I do try and give her the tug and release the leash a little but she starts pulling again, I repeat this as well when she wants to go to the other side or me. Today I tried stopping everytime she pulled me or was going for a car etc..she was okay but she doesn't sit beside me at the moment. She is only little (5.3kg) but my hand still hurts a little by the end of her walk.

[BBNZ]

I would suggest joining a good dog obedience club to get some general obedience skills happening and have a chat about different methods of getting your dog to walk calmly on a lead.

But another method is, as soon as you feel tension, quickly and sharply turn the other way and continue to walk, and then again, and again and again everytime there is tension. You may be doing 20 quick turns up and down in a straight line, but the dog will soon click.

We are anxiously waiting for the dog obedience classes to start (this coming mon).

I usually walk her in the mornings and someone else in the evening. So we will definately have to practice until she gets it. Atlhough today she didn't seem to 'PULL' that much and wld stop (although not by my side) when I stopped..so she still has a way to go yet

Thanks everyone!