“How do I get my dog to stop pulling on the leash?” This is one of the most frequent questions we receive in the training department at Patrick’s Pet Care. In most cases, new pet parents don’t even think about leash manners or obedience until they’ve arrived at home with the new love of their lives and try to take him or her out for a walk. They quickly begin an impromptu audition for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Alaska, as they are dragged down the street wondering whether they dare take one hand off the leash to wave back at the neighbors on the front porch who are half waving and half staring with their mouths hanging open.

Have no fear, you are not the first person to experience this. We see it all the time and it’s easily corrected. That new furry family member is probably from a rural part of the country and has never been walked on a leash. Can you blame him for vigorously exploring his new surroundings? It’s important to address the behavior early because any dog walker can tell you that exposure to prolonged leash pulling can cause “leash wrist.” Also, if you’ve adopted a big dog, or a dog whose breed has been unfairly labeled as “vicious” by people who don’t know any better, it can be quite intimidating to a non-pet-person to see an unwieldy “beast” coming down the sidewalk at them.

Here are a few tips to help your dog learn to walk calmly on leash:

1. Adjust your attitude: Ask yourself “What would I like him or her to do instead?” Instead of teaching them to “stop pulling,” teach them how to walk nicely beside you.
2. Remember it’s all about rewards: Reward your dog for paying attention to you and for being in the desired position when out for a walk.
3. Play the “follow me” game: Hold your leash and take several steps backwards away from your dog. When your dog follows you, say “Yes” and immediately reward him or her for a treat when the approach. Repeat 8-12 times until your dog is actively pursuing you when you move away.
4. If your dog pulls, immediately stop and stand completely still until the leash relaxes, either by taking a step back or turning around to return their focus to you. Once the leash is relaxed, turn back and continue on your way.
5. Practice on your regular walks and reward often for desirable behaviors using high value treats. Over time, you will need less treats to achieve the same result.
6. Consider a front clip harness to provide extra control on walks (note that walks are not replacements for a martingale collar and should be used in combination with a appropriately fitted collar).

We strongly encourage not only leash manners, but basic obedience classes to discourage jumping, barking and mouthing in order to give you and your dog the tools to understand one another, and make the best first impression on neighbors. Share your pup’s story with them and no matter his breed or background, his good manners will do the rest. And it surprises new owners to know that manners can improve with just one day of training.

As our way of saying thank you for adopting, customers from Lucky Dog automatically get 15% off our training services at Patrick’s Pet Care.