Why does my dog pull?
Why does my dog pull? We get asked this question multiple times a day. As an epic pet parent, here are a few things you should look out for when walking your dog.
Going on an adventure with our dog to the local park or somewhere new and exciting usually involves some closeness to you.
My criteria for a nice calm walk are that the leash is relaxed and tension free and that when off leash our dog can listen to us and focus on us in the environment.
For some people, there is no preference as to where the dog should be as long as the leash is slack. Others prefer their dog to be right next to them or never ahead of them. There is no right or wrong choice. In this case, it is a matter of personal preference. Factors to consider are the purpose of the walk, where it will take place, and the size of your dog.
As a reminder, safety is the watchword, proximity or answering me as soon as I call them is ESSENTIAL.
Some people think that when a dog walks in front of them, he is trying to dominate them. This is not the case at all!
Most of the time, the dog simply has not learned the criteria for walking on a loose leash.
If you want your dog to stand in a specific spot while walking, you need to be consistent from the start and communicate your instructions to everyone who walks your dog.
With a large dog, you may want him to walk behind you so you can both fit on the sidewalk and other people can pass if necessary.
With a smaller dog, it is best to teach your dog to walk in front of you. This way, you can keep an eye on your dog, especially if something unexpected happens.
People who walk their dogs in the city prefer to keep them by their side and supervise them more frequently.
When your dog can walk calmly on a leash, without pulling or grabbing, your walks will become much more enjoyable.
Why won't my dog listen?
There are many reasons why your dog is pulling and not responding to you, but here are a few:
Dog Harness | Dresso™
It works: This is the most common reason. Most dogs will continue to pull because their natural walking pace is faster than ours and walking at a human's pace is not natural for them. They have learned that by pulling, they achieve their goal.
Overexcitement: Your dog may be overexcited and therefore not able to listen to you easily or has excess energy that has not been used as required by your dog's breed. Genetics can play a role in your dog's energy level, and it is important to meet their needs with breed-appropriate activities.
When a dog is overexcited, it is impossible to teach him anything, much less expect him to walk nicely at your pace. Therefore, if you have a dog with a lot of energy, you will need to find a way to use some of that pent-up energy in a constructive way, beyond a walk or a ball in the yard. What is your dog supposed to do? How can you give him an outlet for this natural behavior? To better understand, we need to go beyond the basics after building the basics of FUN.
Overreacting: This means that your dog has a strong emotional response to certain things in the environment, resulting in excessive behavior. For example, your dog may see another dog across the street and pull desperately toward them in an attempt to play. Or, a skateboarder walks by and he may pull to try to chase them. He may also pull, bark, and lunge to get away from objects that are causing him anxiety. If you notice that your dog is overreacting to certain things, you will want to help him change his feelings about those things. You should seek help from an experienced dog trainer or behaviorist.
Fear: Your companion may be fearful or anxious about going outside or being in a new environment. He may pull because he doesn’t feel safe and wants to get away from anything that worries him. If your dog is unhappy with walks because he is afraid, it is important that you seek the right support for you and your dog.
Equipment is also a very important part of skill development.
dog leash - Duo™
Our online store offers different leads and harnesses for different tasks, I love leads that have different points to change the length and functionality of the lead like the hands free dog lead range with a LITE version for small breeds.
Long lines are also great for teaching proximity, I love the clip leashes you can find HERE.
At Sanedoggy, we also prefer a harness for all walks, especially when teaching a dog the first steps of calm leash walking.
We know that a novice dog will tend to pull and we always try to avoid any discomfort.
We use no-pull dog harnesses like the Maxtraction Dog Harness and the Nissan Dog Harness because they both have a front attachment that I like to use to have two connection points when teaching calm leash walking.
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