How to Control and Prevent Leash Pulling

Article by Kelly Marshall

Whether you are training a puppy or an older dog that you have adopted, you will find that a big part of this is making sure that he does not pull on his leash while you are out walking! A dog that pulls on their leash unexpectedly can suddenly take the leash out of your hand, and the resulting situation can be quite dangerous. A dog who pulls on his leash might also be menacing to other dogs or to people and if you want to walk your dog responsibility, leash pulling is definitely one behavior that you want to curb. How can you prevent your dog from pulling on his leash and what do you need to do?

The first thing that you need to address when it comes to leash pulling is that you need to take action right away. This is a habit that is very hard for a dog to break once he has become used to it, so take some time and look into what you can do to make sure that it does not become a permanent aspect of his personality. To prepare for training, get his leash and clip it on to his collar. Remember that choke chain is a very bad idea for this kind training because a dog can strangle himself if he throws himself against his leash too roughly.

One great method for training a dog to walk on a leash is to simply stand in one place and let your puppy act as he wishes to do so. You should leave about four feet of length in the leash and whenever your puppy allows the leash to go slack, make sure that you braise him. Pick a "happy" word or a word that show him that you approve of him, like "yes" or "good" and use it whenever he sits on the end of the leash with it going slack.

Remember that you do not want to move forward when your dog is lunging at the leash or pulling it taut. This tells him that he can "pull" you where he wants to take you, and this is not a good idea for him to get. Remember that when he pulls, you should simply stop. On the other hand, remember that you do not want to pull back on the leash or to jerk it. Ideally, the leash will never be taut at all. Take some time and consider what your options are going to be and what you can do to make sure that your dog listens.

Alternately, you can also make sure that your puppy stays at the right place by putting a little bit of peanut butter on the end of a dowel and keeping it hovered above his head or near his nose when he is walking next to you. Allow your puppy to lick at the treat and use the stick to keep him at the right distance next to you.

Take some time and consider what your options are going to be when it comes to controlling leash pulling; it really is that simple!