WHAT TO DO WHEN THE DOG CONSTANTLY PULLS ON THE LEASH?

Do you have a dog with whom walking on a leash has turned into a nightmare? Does he constantly pull, drag you behind him and try to do everything so that he determines the pace of the walk? If the dog pulls, do not despair. There are some simple ways to unlearn this unwanted behavior.

When we observe undesirable behavior in a dog, we automatically start to blame it. But the truth remains that we - the gentlemen - laid the foundations of the problem. And it is 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 offered him. 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 closer to something interesting. Unfortunately, while pulling was cute with a small puppy, it can cause many problems with a large dog. Nevertheless, you don't have to panic, pulling on a leash can be unlearned playfully.

The road to success? Overhanging leash

“The key to successful off-leash walking is to make sure the dog never gets too far while pulling. Instead, let him get to interesting things when the leash is off 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 leash

While it might seem like a short leash will solve the drag 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 an overhanging leash, not a taut short leash. Likewise, avoid harness with a ring on the back, which can tempt you to pull more. But if you prefer wide ones, 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, you are consistent and at the same time you motivate the dog positively, we believe that soon your dog will be the best companion for walks.