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Walks are an important part of a dog’s daily routine, and keeping them on a leash allows them to sniff and explore in a safe way, keeping both them and others out of danger.
However, our pups’ natural instinct is to follow wherever their nose leads them, and this can mean that they may fight against their leash if they catch the scent or sight of something exciting. Not only does pulling on the leash make it harder for you to control your dog, it can put a lot of strain on their neck and body, resulting in significant pain or injury, and in severe cases can even cause strangulation.
In this blog we are going to discuss the reasons why your dog may be pulling on their leash, how to stop your dog from pulling on the leash, and how to correct and redirect this behavior if and when it happens. Dogs only ever act on their instincts, and so it is our job as pet parents to notice their behavior and try to understand why it occurs.
It is important to understand what causes a dog to pull on a leash so that we can know how best to address the behaviour. Luckily, leash pulling often comes with a pretty simple answer: pulling helps your dog get to where they want to be.
Dogs are natural explorers, and so being attached to a leash and having their movements controlled does not feel natural to our pups. Therefore, they will often try to fight it - they are extremely driven by their senses and so if they see or smell something they want, they are going to want to go after it.
Leash pulling is a very normal and common canine behaviour, and while it can be frustrating for the owner, and poses risks to a dog’s physical well begin due to the strain of pulling, there are an abundance of training methods available to help your dog stop dragging you along behind them whenever you take them out.
While it is natural for a dog to pull on the leash, it should be discouraged to minimise the risk of injury and antisocial walking etiquette. Every dog is different, and therefore they may take more or less time to unlearn or resist pulling behaviors. Training your dog to not pull on the leash will be beneficial to both you and your dog, and will make for safer, calmer walks and outdoor activities.
We have put together a short guide on some of the best methods to stop your dog from pulling on the leash, which should help making the training process a positive and successful experience for both pet parent and pooch:
While your pup gets used to the idea that they aren’t allowed to pull, it can be beneficial to switch up their collar or harness for something that aids the training process a little better.
There are specifically designed harnesses and collars which are made to help tackle specific training issues, and these can help your dog to understand more clearly what you want them to do or not do.
Harnesses which attach at the front rather than at the back have been shown to be particularly effective, as your dog is instantly pulled back around towards you as soon as they start to pull or get too far ahead of you.
Using a harness rather than a collar tends to be more comfortable for your dog, as any strain from pulling is distributed over a wider, stronger surface area, while collared leashes bear the brunt of all the strain from pulling, making injury or even strangulation a real possibility.
To keep your dog from pulling on the leash, one of the most effective training tools you have in your box is simply to stop. The more you allow your dog to pull and drag you behind, the more you encourage the behavior, as they will start to realise that the harder they pull the more likely you are to follow.
By stopping when your dog starts to pull, you teach them that this isn’t an acceptable behavior, and that it will not get them what they want. Think of it almost like saying no, but through physicality.
Whether you are a the beginning of your walk or have had to stop halfway through due to a pulling behavior, it is important not to start walking again until you feel that the leash is loose, meaning that your dog is not putting and pulling force onto it.
This teaches your dog that the fun of walking starts only when the pulling stops. Once you feel the leash go slack, you can begin walking again - this action can be repeated if your dog begins to pull again: stop, wait for the leash to loosen, and then continue the walk.
This technique takes place whilst you and your dog are actively walking, and involves correcting and redirecting your dog in the midst of a pulling behavior. When your dog starts to pull, you can then give a firm but gentle pull back on the leash and then release it straight away.
Repeating this action whenever your dog starts to pull ahead will start to teach them that they mustn’t pull, and that they are actively being repositioned every time they try to do so.
Remember, your pull should be firm but gentle and you must release it immediately so that you don’t then become the pulling perpetrator!
Positive reinforcement is the best way to train a dog - they are extremely receptive to repetition and positivity, and so making sure you include rewards during your training will likely get you better results.
While walks are obviously good exercise and offer your dog a chance to use the toilet, they are also an amazing stimulative enrichment activity which engages your dog’s senses and social skills. If your dog doesn’t pull for a period of time or seems to be following your instructions well, it is important to then reward them to solidify the behavior. This can be in the form of a treat, some playtime or even just letting them have a good old sniff at something they find interesting.
An effective little trick which will help bring your dog’s focus and attention back onto you, and teach them that this happens each time they try to pull on their leash.
When you feel that your dog is starting to pull on the leash, simply turn around and start walking in the opposite direction, bringing your dog with you. It is likely that the first time you try this your dog will then continue to pull in whichever new direction you are going in - so then you just keep changing direction.
It should hopefully get to a point where your dog thinks ‘what on earth is going on here’, and the drive to pull is replaced with the confusion of the situation and that you seem to be in charge of where they walk, bringing their attention back to you. The hope is that your dog soon realises that when they walk nicely and don’t pull on their leash, they don’t get turned around every few minutes!
Cues are an excellent way of training our dogs to carry out certain commands when we want them, helping us to keep them safe and in control when required. Once your dog has learned a cue, it can then be implemented whenever you need it, and this can be particularly beneficial if you have a dog that pulls on their leash. If you can give a command that begins your dog’s focus back to you, this means that you can interrupt an unwanted behaviour and recall them more easily.
Cue training should start small and build up gradually, so it is recommended to begin either in the home or in a calm space where there is minimal distraction. Choose your watch cue, this can be a sound or a word like ‘watch’ or perhaps even your dog’s name, and each time you give the cue and your dog looks at you, give them a treat.
The more you repeat this, the quicker your dog will realise that they are rewarded when they look at you, making for a great incentive for them to follow the command. You can progress to larger or more busy spaces when you feel your dog is ready, and you will be able to see how they register the cue when there are more distractions around them - this is vital as you want to be sure the cue will work when you are out in the real world.
If your dog has a tendency to pull on their leash, it can be beneficial to fill their walks with different tasks which brings their attention onto something other than moving forwards. This can be whatever you like, perhaps every few minutes giving them a command such as ‘sit’ or ‘lay down’, before giving them a treat and moving on. This keeps their mind distracted and focussed on you - as well as the promise of treats!
You can also try and mix things up to keep it interesting, perhaps taking them up and down some stairs or encouraging them to jump over low rocks or tree logs - your dog will feed off your enthusiasm, so directing this energy into positive tasks that earn rewards can strengthen trust and the bond between you and your furry friend.
So, we’ve looked at the things we don’t want our dog to do whilst out walking, but what things should we be encouraging? What is the best way for our dog to walk?
Each dog will prefer to walk in a slightly different way; some like to stay close to their owner, others may trail behind slightly and take in the scenery, while some pups love to be front and centre leading the way. Whatever position they like to be in whilst out walking, as long as there isn’t any tension in their leash and they seem to be walking at a steady pace, this is a good walk in our books.
Leash walking isn’t natural for dogs, and so of course they will need to learn how it is done, what is expected of them and their behaviour when they are in the outside world, and also be taught that the leash is their friend; it is a tool to keep them safe, not to punish them, and so getting your dog comfortable wearing and walking with a leash means that they can have adventures safely.
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