The time you spend with your dog when out walking should be fun, relaxing and an opportunity for the two of you to bond. But what if your dog is one of those that insists on pulling on the lead the whole time, seemingly desperate to get wherever it is you’re going as soon as possible?
It can make the whole experience stressful and – particularly if yours is a large dog – you can end up feeling like you’ve been dragged along for the whole journey. Quite simply, it can take the enjoyment out of what should be one of the best bits of the day.
In this article, we’re going to give some useful tips for how you can stop your dog pulling on its lead – but first, let’s explore why they do it in the first place.
Why does my dog keep pulling on its lead?
Basically, dogs pull on their lead because they’ve learned that it works. They know that going for walk involves going somewhere – they want to get there at their own pace, and that will always be at a faster pace than you (unless you’re one of those fit and healthy people who take their dog for a run rather than a walk!).
So they pull you, you stagger along after them and they get there quicker than if they trotted sedately at your side. Having achieved their goal successfully, next time they do just the same – and the time after that and so on.
In other words, the more you let them do it, the harder it will be to get them to stop.
How to stop your dog pulling on its lead
The answer lies in making them actively want to walk nicely by your side, and that can be done by rewarding them for doing it or by making them understand that pulling on the lead won’t actually get them where they want to go.
- Rewarding good behaviour
The idea behind this method is that your dog is rewarded for walking close to you. You might want to hold some treats or a favourite toy, then start by encouraging them to stand near you before graduating onto getting them to walk by you. It’s important that you praise and reward them when they get it right – and as they get better, you can increase the gaps between treats while walking, so they understand that good things come to those who walk nicely!
- Changing learned behaviour
With this method, you’re trying to undo your dog’s belief that pulling on the lead will get them where they’re going quicker. To do that, you should stop every time they pull on the lead and only start moving forwards again when the tension on the lead eases.
When you do stop because they’re pulling on the lead, don’t tug at the lead or tell them off – just wait until they choose to come closer to you. If your dog doesn’t come back towards you when you stop, take a couple of gentle steps in the opposite direction so that they effectively have no choice.
This doesn’t work with all dogs, and you will have to be patient, because it’s probably going to take a while before they understand what’s happening.
You can, of course, combine these two methods, but the important thing to remember is that once you start with them, you have to be consistent and do them each time you take your dog for a walk.
Dog walking is just one of the services we offer to the dogs staying at Green Lane Farm Boarding Kennels. Our experienced team always enjoys spending quality time with our guests and we make sure your pet enjoys plenty of love and attention while they’re with us.
If you’re in need of a reliable and trustworthy place to leave your best friend when you need to go away – whether it’s a fortnight’s holiday or just some doggy day care while you’re at work – why not come and check out the facilities at Green Lane Farm?
Our boarding kennels are based in Chessington, making us convenient for those living in and around Kingston, Surrey and parts of Greater London. Get in touch now to find out more!
