Why do dogs pull on the leash?
⠀
1️⃣ Unconscious teaching. The dog is pulling – the owner is following. This is how the dog learns to pull.
⠀
2️⃣ Yanking on the leash. Leash jerks result in the opposite of what you are trying to achieve – the dog starts pulling even more.
⠀
3️⃣ The dog is overexcited. You’ve probably seen dogs that are constantly pulling, barking and are unable to concentrate. These are all signs of overexcitement.
⠀
4️⃣ A retractable leash. The very idea of a retractable leash is that in order to get to where you want to go, you need to pull. This teaches the dog to pull. Such a leash is constantly creating pulling, so your dog will perceive it as a normal situation.
⠀
5️⃣ Lack of training. The dog simply hasn’t been taught that pulling the leash is not right.
⠀
❓So, what to do?
⠀
▫️ If the problem is overexcitement, you should teach your dog to relax and exercise self-control.
⠀
▫️ Stop reinforcing leash pulling. If your dog starts pulling, then stop and wait. Don’t tug on the leash, don’t scold your dog. As soon as he turns to you, reward him and resume walking.
⠀
▫️ You can also stop, turn around and start walking in the opposite direction.
⠀
▫️ Always use the same length of the leash. This way, your dog will understand how far he can step away.
⠀
▫️ Stop using a retractable leash, or you will always come back to the same problem.
⠀
▫️ Don’t scold your dog. If you do that, he will simply try to walk as far from you as possible in order to avoid conflict. Hence, the pulling.
⠀
▫️ Reward correct behavior. The leash is relaxed? Perfect! Praise your dog. The more you reward the needed behavior, the more it will be exercised.
⠀
▫️ Change the direction. This way your dog will learn to monitor and pay attention to what is happening to you and at the other end of the leash.
⠀
▫️ Start will the simplest tasks. Organize the first training session in a quiet place with no excessive external stimuli. The level of difficulty is increased gradually.
⠀
▫️ Train your dog only when you are in a good mood.
⠀
Some dog parents believe that it is impossible to teach an adult dog to not pull on the leash. However, it’s not true: dogs can learn at any age!
