Besides the Companionship, the greatest joy of having a dog is that the owner can take the dog for a walk every day, not only to help the owner to exercise and relax but also to allow the dog to develop the habit of going to the bathroom outside, diligent exercise can also improve the dog’s own immune system healthy growth. There is some techniques to help you walk your dog correctly and skillfully.
Here we want to tell you 2 steps to achieve so: first, choose RIGHT leashes and collars, second, training your dog to obey orders.
For the tool-select, we have done a more detailed introduction in the previous article, here will not repeat, if you want to know more info, just read How to choose a right equipment for your dog? Collar or harness? If you still do not have any ideas about it, contact us or leave a message to us, we can help you to choose the right and suitable one for your dog.
Now let’s talk about training! Before take it out, please check your dog’s collar. It should be snug enough so she/he cannot pull out of it, but not so tight that you can’t put a finger or two between the collar and her neck.
Some people training dogs leash walk may use toys, food, etc., in fact, it is not necessary, because the result is that today you hold food in your hand, it will follow you, tomorrow you do not take food it still dragged you to run, you hold a ball in your hand, it will follow you, do not take the ball to run around. The real leash walk is, you pull the leash, it does not drag you, do not burst, the only thing you need to do is to hold the end of the leash in one hand, the other hand holding the middle section of the leash, it should be noted that the leash here, regardless of the use of collars, harness, must not be retractable. When you go out, you use the hand holding the middle part of the leash against the abdomen, so you can feel whether it is pulling your body, as soon as it tightens the leash, you sit back physically, so that it stops moving forward, punish its behavior with the force of the opposite direction, rather than waiting for it to return to you, when the dog compromised, feel the leash gently loose, you will immediately follow it forward, in this way to reward its behavior of not pulling the leash tight.
There are several different ways to teach a dog how to walk well on a leash. One method is the “red light, green light” game. Here’s how it works: First train in your home or yard, a place without too many distractions. Put a four- to six-foot lead on your dog’s collar and start walking with her. If she/he walks without pulling, praise her and keep walking. If she/he pulls on the lead, stop and wait for her to stop pulling. Once the tension in the lead is released, praise her, provide a quick treat, and then continue walking.
Consistency is important when teaching a loose walk. If your dog stops on four out of five pulls (instead of every time), she/he will know that pulling can still bring the desired reward – forward movement. she/he’s thinking, “If it worked once, it might work again.” Be patient: If your dog has learned to pull on the leash, it may take a while for her to stop pulling forward, even if you are stopped.
Here’s another tactic to try: If your dog continues to pull after you stop walking, turn around and go the other way. The change in direction will cause her to get behind you. Then, as she/he walks by, you can use praise and hospitality to keep her attention on you. Don’t pull hard on the leash when changing directions. You can also try a lot of random direction changes so the dog gets used to focusing on you and moving along with you. This technique is called “crazy walking” because instead of walking in a straight line from point A to point B, you move in a crazy, unpredictable direction.
In addition, when you take your dog out for a walk, prepare 2 to 3 routes, because generally the owner is used to a single route, after a few days of walking, your dog is more familiar with the route than you, also more bursts or pull tight leash behavior will happen, so to avoid this situation, let it learn the routes is uncertain, the situation above will be significantly reduced.
Also, whenever your dog walks next to you, reward her for being “in place” or just walking on a loose leash near you. The more you reward her, the more she/he will want to hang out near you. Rewards don’t have to be treats; praise, affection and attention can also be beneficial to your dog.
We believe that if the owners train their dogs with patient and right methods, every dog can behave well.
