Back when I was a 10, my mom took in two dogs. Jasper, a Cocker Spaniel, and Cubbie, a Chow mixed in with either a Collie or Huskie. They both pulled on the leash at some point and always at the same time. As Cubbie got bigger her tugs got stronger. Once, while my mother and I were sitting at the apartment’s pond, a young woman walked by. Cubbie leaped up to greet her. Pulling my mom backwards and over the backless bench. Granted it was funny. All I saw were her legs flying upwards. Still, we had to teach the dogs not to pull on the leash.
First, establish a good sit-stay, www.perfectpaws.com says that this is best done before training your dog on leash manners. You could take a class or do it yourself and save money.
Next, make sure your dog remains seated while the leash is being attached to the collar. I myself have experienced being knocked down or dragged after attaching the leash. Just as perfectpaws.com.com suggests, I waited for the dogs to settle down before proceeding out the door. Jasper had the hardest time. They say Cocker Spaniels are easy to train. My experience hasn’t shown me this. Jasper never really learned to settle.
Whenever you dog begins to pull on the leash, it is suggested that you stop, let your dog calm down and praise them for their behavior.
This takes time. My mother used to pull on the leash to stop our dogs. For some a retractable leash is very helpful. It depends on both the person and the dog. I for one learned the terms “heel” and such to help the process.
When we got a backyard, we didn’t worry too much about walks. Then we got Shilo. My moms Sharpe.The training restarted.
One thing I should mention, if you have more than one dog and they fight during walks, it may be best to walk them separately. I’ve also noticed that playtime in a yard before the walk can sometimes help.
For puppies, start training with a harness. Praise is good for any age of pedigree. Try to have the leash loose and the puppy at your side. Neither person or puppy/dog should be dragged. Catch them before the pull. It is said that then they will never learn to pull on the leash. Always stop and let them calm. It could take short minute, sometimes much more. Don’t yank on the collar like my mother used to. You risk damaging their throats and causing them to cough. I’ve seen this first hand.
Lastly, no choke collars! You wouldn’t like it either.
I hope this information was helpful. Maybe in successful training, you can teach your dog to walk with you without a leash. Check your local dog policies before attempting this.
