Are you dreading that walk? Maybe today your dog will walk nicely on lead.
Nope ……….. Is this you?
If your dog constantly pulls on the lead it can make your dog walks miserable and painful so here are some top tips so you can start enjoying your walks without having your arm pulled from it's socket and choking your dog which is no fun for her either.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Attributed to Einstein but from an unknown source.
Your dog is not doing it because they don’t like you. They are doing it because they be have been trained by you (not intentionally) that if they pull to get somewhere you follow!!!! Some equipment is just brilliant at rewarding the dog for pulling … retractable leads for example.
Dogs are doers They do things, They cant NOT do something. It makes no sense to them. What we have to do is show them something else to do instead of pulling. Many have successfully taught their dog not to jump up for a treat by simply hanging onto the treat until the dog is sitting. She can’t jump up and sit at the same time so the sitting is reinforced and the jumping dies out.
Loose lead walking needs to be trained. It’s a job for your dog like any other trained behaviour…. Sit, down, agility etc. They need to be trained how to do it and most importantly when they should be doing it. Like sitting your dog can’t pull ahead and be by your leg at the same time and the pulling dies out.
Have clear criteria your dog can understand. Give yourself a break. I appreciate that sometimes you may be in a hurry and not have the time to be consistent in your training as you just need to get somewhere or need to give your dog physical exercise whilst your training Loose Leash Walking.
So to help your dog understand have 2 separate places you attach the lead. One is for loose lead walking only… Collar and or front clip on a harness….
and the other it doesn't matter if the dog pulls … back clip of a Y or H shaped harness.
This may be 2 different clips on a harness, one at the front and one at the back or your loose lead walking attachment may be on a flat collar. This is then clear to your dog when she is training and when she isn’t.
Many just don't want their dog to pull too much but what is too much? How is your dog supposed to understand? Make sure your criteria is no lead tension so it is easy for your dog to understand what you want
Be consistent. One of main reasons people fail to train loose leash walking. They think of it as boring and slow. Let’s reframe this for you…. It’s one of the most rewarding behaviours to teach when your dog picks you and looks at you instead of that BLANK you fill it in, squirrel, dog person smell….
BUT your dog needs you to be totally consistent in what you do or it will not learn or understand. It needs a lot of repetition BUT it is totally worth the results. The problem usually lies in the handler only asking for the dog to stop pulling sometimes, usually when their arm is aching and it has become too much. Or they try for so long and then give in allowing the dog to pull. From this the dog learns to be persistent which makes you move further away from your end goal. In short the more often you practice the sooner your dog will understand what is expected of her.
When training Loose Leash Walking ensure you are not going for a walk or from A to B…. The biggest mistake in training loose leash walking is going from A to B while you train it. This was the biggest breakthrough for me with reactive rescues and unknown histories.
Set your dog up for success. Teach your dog new skills in an easy environment first. Teach your dog the concept of what you want in a place where there are no distractions that will make his learning more difficult. Start in the house, then in the garden before expecting the loose lead walking on a walk.
Start small and build from there. Reward your dog for being at your side. Then reward for staying at your side for one step forward. Build gradually the distance your dog can go while staying on a loose lead by your side. Change direction when your dog moves in front of you or stop bring them back and continue on a loose leash – only when they are in position reward them.
Use rewards to make the loose lead walking a valuable exercise for your dog. You wouldn't expect to work for nothing and neither does your dog. Rewards can be praise, affection a treat. These needs you to know what motivates your dog.
Reward your dog in the position you want them to be in. If you use the hand on the other side of your body your dog will creep around in front of you rather than walking by your side. Reward down the seam of your leg or behind you.
Have realistic expectations. If your dog has pulled on the lead for the last year then don't expect to change that habit overnight. Their new skill needs to become a habit and this will take time.
Keep reminding yourself how important this is for both your arm and your dog's neck. The only time you will fail is if you stop trying and forget the big picture or great walks together. Keep building your skills one step at a time.
Reward focus ….. If your dog looks up at you reward it … They can’t pull when looking at you. Take a look at my video of training in a supermarket car park on instagram and don't forget to follow and like us too to see more
Remember keep calm and relaxed and confident
Need more help to achieve your Loose Lead Walking goals then send an email to carol.K9connection@gmail.com
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