Tried everything to stop your dog pulling?

Are you finding that getting your dog to walk to heel outside the home just isn’t working? There are a number of causes for this; it could be that the environment is just too stimulating or maybe you have someone else walking your dog (family, friends, or a dog walker) and they are allowing your dog to pull, which is setting your training back. Or perhaps you have jumped too far ahead and need to go back a step in their training. Again if you haven’t read my blog on consistency then check it out. Dogs are persistent and if they know you will give in then they will keep challenging you.

However, it is possible that it could be something more troubling than the above. Dogs who are nervous, aggressive, hyperactive or display other behavioural issues will struggle to look to their owners for guidance due to the amount of anxiety they feel. In any situation, just like us, dogs have three options; to flee, freeze or fight, and when you have them on a lead, you have taken away their ability to flee, leaving them with only freeze or fight. This causes them even more stress, which further reduces their ability to listen, making training them an impossible task.

For dogs it all begins in the home, get this right and the outside training becomes so much easier. They need to feel 100% safe and have ultimate trust in their owner’s ability to handle whatever situation presents itself.  A dog that feels they are in danger when outside, scared of everything will be so focused on keeping themselves safe that they won’t be listening. They will be overwhelmed and riddled with stress and anxiety, resulting in further behavioural issues developing both in and out of the home, with pulling on the lead being one of them.

Get help with your dogs behaviour & training

We are so used to seeing dogs pull on the lead, that we sometimes make the mistake of thinking that it is ‘normal’ dog behaviour, but some times that isn't the case. If you feel your dog suffers with any anxiety, fear, aggression etc then you will need the help of a qualified dog behaviourist. Ask your vet to recommend one.

Next you’re in for a treat as I discuss the ‘Time frame for lead training’, how long your training session should be and how long it takes till your dog’s walk to heel on lead.