Regularly walking a dog is one of the joys of dog ownership. You and your dog get outside, chat with neighbors, and get a bit of exercise. When your dog pulls on the leash, that enjoyment rapidly disappears.
The reason Dogs Pull On The Leash:
An energetic dog pulls because she’s eager to go, go, go. A curious pup lunges toward a fascinating dog, person, shrub, butterfly, or whatever grabs her attention. A nervous pooch may drag you home in her eagerness to get back to the safety of her own turf. There are many reasons dogs pull, but they all boil down to this: dogs pull because we let them. If the walk continues–or even speeds up–when your dog forges ahead, she’ll keep pulling.
How to prevent the problem:
This exercise, from master trainer Adrienne Farricelli, A professional CPDT-KA certified dog trainer for the last 10 years , helps teach puppies good leash manners. Pick a quiet place free of tempting distractions to practice in, usually indoors or in a fenced area.
1. Leash your pup and stand still: leash close to your body, and wait for the puppy to stop leaping around. It may take a while, but gradually her amusing behavior will subside. As soon as your dog settles down, try to praise her, give her a treat, and tell her, “Let’s go.” Take one step forward.
2. Don’t hold the leash tight: Although experts still debate whether dogs actually have an op positional reflex, we know that dogs will pull against a tight leash even while choking themselves. Don’t encourage that bad habit. Instead, turn the other direction and walk away from him or become a statue.
3. Wait for your puppy to settle down: As soon as she does so, praise her, give her a treat, tell her again, “Let’s go and move,” and take next step, repeating the whole sequence. every time, have her stay in the sit or down position for a few seconds longer before she gets the treat and the “walk” continues....
4. Reward her with longer walks: Once your pup is able to go on these one-step walks without pulling, you can start taking two steps. When your pup’s mastered two steps without pulling, move on to three steps, and so on. Eventually you should be able to walk together with a loose leash, and the pup will sit or lie down when you stop.