Dogs do not naturally understand how to walk properly on a leash. As such, they must be taught this behavior. They do not understand they should not fall behind or pull the leash to get ahead. For some dogs, teaching them not to pull on a leash is simple. For others, this task is fairly difficult to learn. Leashes do not permit dogs to exhibit natural behavior which is the reason for it sometimes being difficult.
Teaching Your Dog Not to Pull on a Leash: Positive Reinforcement
Teaching your dog not to pull on a leash requires a significant amount of positive reinforcement. Use of their favorite treat is highly recommended when leash training. The most common method involves collar jerking. When you are walking your dog, walk him on your left side with your elbow bent. You should not allow your dog to straighten out your arm. If your dog begins to straighten your arm, you respond with a jerk. Once he slows down and begins to walk correctly, praise him and treat him. This is positive reinforcement.
Be certain not to jerk too hard. Jerking the collar too hard or too quickly can result in damage to his neck; particularly his trachea. You must also only utilize this method if your dog is wearing a Martingale choke collar or a head halter. When working with your dog using this method, training should only take several days if done correctly. If this method is not working, you should consult with our in-house pet behavior specialist for additional methods.
Martingale Choke Collar
Many pet parents have problems with the traditional choke collar; the Martingale Choke Collar is the humane choke collar which is safer to use than a choke chain. These types of collars are the collars preferred by professional dog trainers. They only tighten to a certain point and never choke the dog. These choke collars are specifically designed to correspond to the dog’s comfort.
You may be interested in clicker training while teaching your dog to walk on a leash properly. For additional information on clicker training, click here.
Amber Johnson, Animal Behaviorist
Miss Amber Johnson has many years of experience with pets and is a licensed cat and dog nutrition and behavior specialist. She currently collaborates with PetPremium where she counsels clients in pet behavior and nutrition. The statements made in this article are the personal opinions of Miss Amber Johnson and based on independent experiences and could be different from the opinions of PetPremium Pet health Insurance or any other pet health insurance provider.
