A pulling dog is the number one reason people stop enjoying their walks. And it is almost always approached incorrectly, because it is treated as an obedience problem when in reality it is a learning issue.
Why they pull
For two very simple reasons:
- They walk faster than you. Their natural pace is faster than ours. For them, a tight leash is the normal state of affairs.
- It has worked for them their whole life. They pull, and they move forward. They pull, and they reach the tree that smells good sooner. From their point of view, pulling is a strategy with an impeccable track record of success.
There is a third factor that almost nobody takes into account: the opposition reflex. When something pulls a dog backward, their instinct is to push forward. The harder you pull, the harder they pull. They are not challenging you: it is a reflex.
First, the equipment
Before training anything, check what you are going out on the street with. With the wrong equipment, the best training in the world is an uphill battle.
- A harness instead of a collar. A dog that pulls with a collar is compressing their trachea with every tug. The harness distributes the force across their chest.
- With a front clip if they pull a lot. Attaching the leash to the chest, rather than the back, causes the dog to turn toward you when they pull instead of moving forward. It’s not magic, but it reduces the force of the pull and gives you room to work.
- A fixed-length leash, from 1.5 to 2 meters. Retractable leashes teach the exact opposite of what you want: that by pulling, you get more leash.
- A control handle if they are large. A short handle on the back of the harness allows you to hold them steady when crossing the street or when another dog passes by, without yanking the leash.
The method: stop rewarding the pull
The idea is simple: pulling must stop working. Everything else is just a variation.
- Leash tight, feet still. As soon as the leash goes tight, stop. Do not pull, do not scold them. Simply stop moving forward.
- Wait. Sooner or later they will slacken it, even if just for a second, or they will turn to look at you.
- Leash loose, the walk continues. At that moment, resume walking. Moving forward is the reward.
- Reinforce when they walk by your side. A small treat given at the exact second they are at your side is worth more than ten corrections.
The first few walks will be slow and frustrating. This is normal: you are undoing a habit that has lasted months or years.
Three details that significantly speed up the process
- Tire them out first. Ten minutes of play before leaving lowers the anxiety of the first few meters significantly, which is when they pull the most.
- Keep treats accessible. If you have to dig around in your pocket, you’re too late. A waist bag allows you to reward at the exact right moment, which is the only thing the dog associates with what they just did.
- Let them sniff. Set aside parts of the walk for them to sniff at their own leisure. A dog that is never allowed to sniff pulls more because the entire walk becomes a negotiation.
How long it takes
With daily consistency, most dogs show notable improvement in two or three weeks. The key is not toughness, it is that the rule must never fail: if one day they pull and move forward because you are running late, you have taken a step backward that day.
In our dog walking section, you can find harnesses with front clips and control handles, fixed-length leashes, and elastic leashes, and in training, waist treat bags. Free shipping throughout Spain.