Dogs that pull on the lead can turn walkies into one long uncomfortable slog. To help, here are my top 3 tips to achieving a more harmonious walk:
#1: TAKE IT SLOW!
I know, I know, you want loose lead walking and you want it now! Like any new skill, you need to begin… well at the beginning else you risk making it worse. Start by just standing still with the lead and harness all attached and simply rewarding eye contact. Progress by taking small steps backwards and forwards before gradually layering on the time, distance and overall difficulty. Once you have a nice pattern, try taking it to new places in and around the house, garden and street to start all over again...from the beginning.
#2: Keep it CONSISTENT
Build a picture of what loose lead walking looks like. Think about where the dog be positioned, where, how and why you reward your dog and what the lead look like, what consistent length it should be and how will you will hold it. Think about the equipment you use, a collar, harness or both? I suggest starting your loose lead walking for experienced pullers with a completely new set up such as having a new double clip training lead and front and back ring harness. This removes any prior history or pulling on this equipment so you have a fresh start. Don’t bin your old harness and lead though… save that for those times you can’t train loose lead walking or the distraction is just too much for both you and the dog by switching to your old set up. Doing this will prevent any pulling being transferred and practiced on to the new equipment. See, consistency !
If you have a plan like this and stick to it, you can build successful behaviours like loose lead walking through consistent rules, set ups and rehearsals.
#3. FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS!
How is your dog’s focus? Come to think of it how is yours ?! If you want loose lead walking then having a dog being able to focus on you and you on them is an essential component!
Put away your phone, stop chatting to your friend and get your head in the game! For our dogs, the great thing is thing are there are lots of ways we can develop focus from them. If you haven’t already sign up mail list full full of hints, tips and our FREE focus eBook where inside you’ll find some brilliant ways to start getting that focus you need.
Remember slow, consistent, focus for the win and keep it FUN!
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