Dog Leash Training: The How Tos
It takes a lot of hard work to own a dog. If anything, it also requires to have good muscles, especially when you have a dog that is as strong as a professional wrestler. Learn the proper dog leash training so you don’t have to wrestle with your dog every time you go out with him for a walk.
We are not exaggerating here! There really are dogs that have the ability to weaken their owners’ shoulders to the point where muscle strains become an inevitable condition.
Aside from having to spend a lot for your dog’s daily maintenance, you also need to do something about that muscle sprain that keeps bothering you when you’re out on lengthy walks in the park.
If you have experienced such issues since day one of owning your dog, don’t feel so special about it. There are literally thousands of people who encounter such a problem every day, and they are seeking the very same thing as you: How to stop your dog from pulling on the leash.
From when they were pups to becoming full grown adults, dogs have always a tendency to exert supremacy over their owners. We’re not necessarily talking about canine uprising in the near future, but you have to understand that your dog often seeks ways to overpower you.
When you come across such problems as this, you have to deal with them properly and not resort to numerous traditional things most people do to control their dogs from pulling the leash.
5 Step-By-Step Exercises to Finally Put an End to Your Dog’s Bad Pulling On The Leash Habits
The first things you might want to realize is that size does not matter. Whether you own a Chihuahua or a Siberian Husky, expect that your pet will gnaw on the leash and give you a hard time at the sidewalk. Imagine yourself trying to pull that leather strap away from your dog’s jaws as passersby look on.
Apparently, this is a desperate situation that calls for equally desperate measures.
The first thing you will do is not to fight your dog over control of the leash. While you can get carried away by the idea of man going against beast, trying to resist does nothing but worsen the struggle for the both of you.
As you keep on pulling the strap away from its jaws, your dog will take it as signal for a challenge, providing him with even more reason to hold on to the strap.
So, instead of going rough on your pet, try a more subtle approach by first calming him down. Do not give him a reason to hate you by pulling the strap even harder.
Instead, apply some effective techniques to put him at ease. That way, it will be much easier for you to control him as you take a walk down the park.
So, how do we go about it? Check out these dog leash training tips below:
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Keep him at ease.
Sounds easy enough, but apparently, not many people seem to apply the right kind of strategies to calm their dogs down. While we can never guarantee that they will stop biting on the leash, at least, by using the most effective methods, we can teach our dogs to be more disciplined and let them enjoy routine walks like they are supposed to.
But much of the problem lies in the very moment you introduce the leash. Once you bring out the leash, your dog will be excited to the point that he runs up to you and demanding you to take him to that special place in the park where he can steal all the Frisbees he wants.
5 Step-By-Step Exercises to Finally Put an End to Your Dog’s Bad Pulling On The Leash Habits
This can be explained as a pleasure trigger since dogs want to get out of the house and enjoy the great outdoors. Truth be told, they get a kick from talking long walks as it makes them feel alive.
They are going out on an adventure with their owner, and anything that tickles their curiosity demands to be investigated. Which is the reason why your dog pulls you towards that thing it saw in the bushes.
The level of excitement they feel comes with activating this so-called pleasure trigger. So, as an important tip, try to wait until the sense of elation dies down. When you pull out the leash, don’t put around your dog just yet.
Wait for him to feel at ease. No matter how much he wants you to put it on him, you need to wait until the elation dies down, then you can strap him in for the ride (or, in this case, walk).
This takes a lot of practice but you have to consider repetition as an essential part of dog leash training. If you want to control your dog’s behavior so much, you need to be patient.
Routinize the practice of putting on the leash, or better yet, ritualize it so that your dog can get the message. Give it time and you will be surprised one afternoon that your dog becomes more manageable as it sees the leash on your hand.
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Go the other way
The challenge of walking the dog involves the idea that your dog wants to go the way you don’t want to go. For instance, when walking a pathway, your dog might get curious about a weird-looking creature that resembles a fire hydrant (which it is!).
Your dog will have a tendency to go towards, but rather than fight your dog and telling him “No! This way!”, simply go the other way. If your dog wants to turn back and investigate a suspicious-looking object, change your direction.
Never let your dog have its way. Exert your authority by showing your dog that you are in control.
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Make use of the right tools
There are numerous tools out there that can make your afternoon walks a little less hectic. Do not be discouraged to spend a few extra bucks. If it really means that much to you to secure self-discipline for your dog, then you have to make a few purchases of the right tools like leashes and harnesses.
These will make your dog more comfortable and will make him more responsive towards your control.
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Act as the leader
Dogs have a primal instinct to follow the leader. Being descendants of wolves, your dog basically sees you as his master whom he must obey at all costs. This is true even with smaller dogs. As you can tell, you are basically your dog’s master, so act like it! But how can you do it without giving your dog a reason to bite a piece of your leg off?
Simple: Exert a lot of effort to tell your dog that “Hey, you need my protection. And unless you want to get kidnapped, you will follow me no matter what.” Adopting the alpha wolf mindset allows you to become the great master your dog envisions you to be.
Depending on what you what to do, you need to apply these important tidbits if you want to prevent your dog from pulling the leash and give you enough of a reason to pull your own hair in desperation!
