This post may include affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies discussed in this post.
You want to go on a leisurely walk with your canine Max. but Max has other intentions.
You start out the door and Max is pulling you as if he were a sled canine at the Iditarod–and you’re the sled.
Now you’re wondering…How do I stop my canine from pulling on the leash?
There are things you can do to avoid this scenario.
We all want that ideal canine that walks at a trot by our side.
However, in purchase to have a canine that walks without pulling requires a lot of training and patience.
Today’s short article is our guide on how to stop a canine from pulling on the leash. Let’s get started.
Why Does Your canine pull on the Leash?
Pulling on a leash is natural canine behavior. They want to explore the sights, sounds, and scents in their world.
They do it because it works: they get to reach their desired places much more quickly.
It’s also self-rewarding when we let them pull, so they repeat the behavior.
Because it’s so self-rewarding and fun for the dog, it’s also a very hard practice to break. but it can be done.
They don’t pull to be dominant, alpha, or pack leaders.
I’ve rescued a number of adult dogs who pulled on the leash.
Spencer, a golden retriever who concerned me at about three years old, had no leash manners.
It wasn’t his fault. no one taught him to walk on a loose leash.
But he was about 75 pounds of muscle and could easily pull until trained to do otherwise.
And our adventure of training him to walk politely on a leash took time. and a ton of patience.
But it paid off. Spencer loved his walks and looked forward to them.
When I took his leash out, he’d go to the door and look at me with puppy eyes–pleading to go on his next adventure.
And I also delighted in his walks then.
Why instruct Your canine To walk on a loose Leash?
The main reason to instruct your canine to walk on a loose leash is for everyone’s safety.
A canine can pull his owner down. Or he could get loose if his owners can’t hold onto him.
It’s also harmful for the dog. We’ve all seen dogs pulling on a leash as they choke and gasp for air.
This can harm the canine by restricting the blood flow to his head.
It can also damage his trachea. small dogs are especially vulnerable to this.
Methods To stop Your canine From Pulling on a Leash
There are various techniques you can use to stop your canine from pulling on his leash.
These are tried-and-true methods. But, like all training, they require patience and consistency.
Everyone who walks your dog–family members, friends, canine walkers–must be consistent.
And there’s no cookie cutter approach. Each dog’s an individual.
If one method doesn’t work, another will.
Four on the floor To Start
When many dogs see you take out their leash, they go ballistic. They jump around, spin, whine, and bark.
If you take your canine out in that thrilled state, your walk is already off to a bad start. and it will probably go down from there.
It’s best to do practice training exercises by the door so that when you need your canine to be calm for a walk, he’ll be able to.
I recommend physically or mentally exercising your canine prior to practicing this training.
Always try to set your canine up to succeed.
You can play fetch or have him work a puzzle toy first. Eventually, he ought to be able to be calm without first exercising him.
So train your canine to be calm at the door before you go out on your trek through the neighborhood.
Don’t take him on a walk until he has some impulse control and isn’t over-stimulated.
To instruct him to be calm before you begin your walk, practice the following training exercise.
Take out his leash. wait until he’s calm to attempt to attach it to his harness or collar.
If he’s over-stimulated, don’t attach the leash. just hold it up or put it on a table.
Then, when he’s calm, try attaching it again.
Repeat again until you can attach the leash when he’s calm.
This training set-up exercise helps your canine think about how he gets the reward of a walk: by being calm first.
If needed, you can tell him to sit first if he’s able to sit and remain calm.
Equipment
Special training equipment can help you in your goal to take a walk without your canine pulling.
I believe in setting up your canine to be successful and using specialized equipment to help.
That said, no piece of training equipment replaces the need to also train your canine to walk well on a lead.
There are numerous options.
I choose a correctly fitted anti-pull harness for manullnull
