Autorin: Lisa Maria Stöbich
A sled dog team rose to fame in 1925 by providing the Alaskan town of Nome with medicine for a diphtheria epidemic. The lead dog Balto even stands as a statue in Central Park in New York.
While pulling the sled is a heroic act in this story, pulling on the leash drives one or the other mistress insane. But what can a man or woman do when the fluffy companion is dragging them around?
Young four-legged friends in particular are bursting with joie de vivre and thus sweeten our everyday lives. In the heat of the moment, however, our fluffy friends often forget that there is another two-legged friend hanging on the leash and pull us here and there.
Find out here why your dog pulls on the leash, what you can do about it, and what tricks you can use to train him to walk on a loose leash.
Leash training with the right equipment?
Walking on a leash is not a natural process for our dogs and all too often you can clearly recognize it. But even if it would certainly be more fun for playful dogs to romp around freely, this is unfortunately often not possible. In most public areas like cities and parks, your dog must be on a leash. But what can you do if your four-legged friend constantly pulls on the leash and nothing helps?
In order for you to be well prepared for leash training, you should first think about what equipment you need. is particularly important choosing the right dog harness or collar. You often hear that collars are no-gos and that harnesses are always the better option. But the decision is not that easy, because it depends entirely on the behavior of your four-legged friend.
If your dog pulls so hard on the leash that he rattles in certain areas and you are afraid he will injure himself on his collar, the harness is definitely the right option for you. Here the pressure from the pulling is better distributed and the throat and larynx are protected. However, the harness should fit your dog's size well and the straps should not be too wide. In this way you prevent your companion from feeling uncomfortable or even rubbing himself sore on his harness.
If your four-legged friend already walks perfectly on a leash, you can put a collar on him with a clear conscience. This allows your fluffy friend more freedom of movement and lets him explore the area undisturbed.
A common mistake for beginners is the flexi leash. Although it is a great solution if you want to let off steam in nature, it is not suitable for beginner leash training. Due to the adjustability of the leash, your dog does not get a feeling for when to stop and runs into the stranglehold of the leash with full force. It is therefore better to choose a leash that is not too short but not adjustable for practicing.
The training is running, but you only get headaches instead of results? In addition to the right leash and a suitable collar or harness, there are also a few special aids. Dog harnesses in which the leash is not only attached to the back but also to the chest cause your four-legged friend to lose his balance when he pulls on the leash, which ideally prevents him from pulling.
Haltis (dog halters) or Gentle Leader can also be of help in particularly unproductive training sessions. Here a loop around the mouth is connected to the harness and the leash. When pulling, a slight pull is exerted on the snout to the side and makes the pulling annoying for your dog. Eating, slurping and panting remains possible without any problems.
If you decide to use such aids, don't make them part of your walking routine, make them I really only use them for training, because they are intended to make learning easier for your four-legged friend and do not represent a permanent solution for pulling on the leash.
Go with the right tips and tricks to a harmonious leash
You are perfectly equipped but your dog pulls on the leash and doesn't want to be led by you? No problem, there are a few crafty methods we can use to help you.
Relaxed walks? You can with our tips.
stand still
For example, just stand still and don't go any further if your dog pulls. Show your four-legged friend that you can be as stubborn as he is. Your dog will quickly notice that something is wrong and will ask you with confused looks why the adventure is not going on.
Once you have his attention and your dog has stopped pulling, you can lure and reward him with shouts or thigh slaps. With our dog walking bags with washable treats compartment or one practical fanny pack you always have treats at hand.
Your dog learns in such a way that it does not achieve anything by pulling. Once your four-legged friend walks really well on the leash, the walks will be all the more fun and carefree for both of you.
Change direction spontaneously
If you want to try something more creative, you can simply switch directions. Does your dog pull on the leash and won't let go of its next goal? Just turn around and go in a different direction. Your fluffy companion will quickly notice that he cannot get the coveted trail of scent by pulling, but that journey going somewhere else. Especially if you are out in nature, it could be an adventurous one journey and you might both discover something new.
What actually does not help and should be avoided?
Consistency is important in leash training. Even if it takes time and is exhausting, you should never give in and just let your dog pull you from A to B. Because that's how he learns that he gets what he wants by pulling.
Fun and games should also have a place in your life and not every walk has to become a strict training session. Be patient and don't get angry if things don't go so well.
A mistake that is unfortunately made far too often is jerking on the leash in response to the four-legged friend being pulled. The jerky movement can physically harm the dog, especially with collars. This action also triggers stress and only confuses your four-legged friend even more. Rewards always work better than punishment, because the latter creates unnecessary negative associations with going for a walk and may only encourage your four-legged friend to walk even faster due to the stressful situation.
Also Electroshock and spiked collars are not a solution. We must remember that we should also love and nurture our faithful friends, not just discipline and educate them. Unnecessary instruments such as these collars are often not only counterproductive, but can also damage the gentle four-legged friends both physically and psychologically.
With teamwork and patience to success
Get started together with the first training sessions.
If you want to enjoy the walks with your four-legged friend to the fullest, you have to be patient and praise and reward your dog a lot. Your dog's need to please you and reap tasty treats will inspire him to do better than you can with punishment and scolding.
With patience, motivation and a good human-dog relationship, you don't have to switch to sledding in Alaska, because soon your fluffy friend will no longer be pulling on the leash, but will be moving idyllically with you into the sunset.
Cover photo by Zen Chung. More pictures by Zen Chung and Gustavo Fring.
About inara writes
Hatice Kücükhüseyin is a content expert at inara writes. Words are her favorite tool. With them she brings color and life into every text. When she's not writing, she watches French cinema.