WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR DOG STILL PULLS ON THE LEASH?

Do you have a dog with whom walking on a leash has turned into a nightmare? Is he constantly pulling, dragging you behind him and trying to do everything so that he dictates the pace of the walk? If the dog pulls, do not despair. There are a few simple ways to unlearn this unwanted behavior.

When we observe unwanted behavior in a dog, we automatically start blaming him. But the truth remains that we - the masters - laid the foundations of the problem. And it's no different when pulling on a leash. Just think back to when your canine friend was only a few months old. Even then, he probably longed to get closer to everything that the free nature had to offer. If you then allowed the dog to go in any direction he wanted, it is no wonder that he developed a habit of pulling.

If we were to look inside his head, we would probably see the following equation: pulling = getting close to something interesting. Unfortunately, while pulling was cute for a small puppy, it can cause a lot of problems for a large dog. Still, you don't have to panic, pulling on the leash can be unlearned playfully.

Path to success? Sagging leash

“The key to successful off-leash walking is to make sure the dog never gets too far if he's pulling. Instead, let him get to interesting things when the leash is slack and you're comfortable," advises clinical animal psychologist Mat Ward in his book What Dogs Want. But how to translate it into common practice? As soon as the dog pulls on the leash, turn around and run in the opposite direction. Wait for the dog to join you before turning back to the original direction. Thanks to this, the dog will subsequently understand that pulling along does not bring anything good. On the contrary, it distances him from something he finds interesting.

Forget the short lead

While it might seem like a short leash will solve the towing problem, don't be fooled. In fact, a shortened leash can make the problem worse. It is important for your dog to understand that the only correct option is a slack leash, not a taut short leash. Likewise, avoid kshiras with a ring on the back, which can tempt you to pull more. But if you prefer ksheers, bet on those with a ring in front.

Be prepared that unlearning a dog to pull on a leash is not a matter of two days. It will probably take a while to get the desired result. But if you don't give up, are consistent and at the same time positively motivate the dog, we believe that soon your dog will be the best companion for walks.