Is Pulling Your Dog's Super Power?

If so, you’re not alone! This is the #1 training challenge for people with any age dog. Why is that? First, it’s hard! Teaching a dog to walk nicely on leash takes a lot of time, consistency and patience – things many of us are short on. Because of that, many dog parents just give up and resort to all sorts of quick fix tactics that are at best only band aids.

With traditional loose leash walking, we put a lot of the responsibility on the dog. They should walk our pace and keep the leash loose. Move when we move and stop when we stop. Ignore the goodies on the ground, the cat in the bushes, and dog friends across the street. That’s a lot of pressure and very difficult to achieve. Plus it’s highly frustrating for our dogs.

Expecting your dog to “just do it” is going to end up with you banging your head against the wall. Walking nicely on leash out in a world full of distractions is not natural nor do they come preprogrammed that way.

So what can you do?

Let’s take a look from our dog’s perspective. They’ve been cooped up at home for hours, sometimes days. They have energy they need an outlet for. They have a nose that is many times more sensitive than ours. And they are social creatures. Imagine that you are a kid at Disneyland and are told to walk by your parent’s side, don’t get on any rides, don’t run over to the ice cream store, ignore Mickey Mouse and friends, keep moving and don’t look at the parade, etc. How would you feel? Frustrated!

Instead, if we look at walking our dogs as a team activity, where we understand and acknowledge our dog’s needs and desires and balance those with ours, it becomes much more enjoyable for us and our four legged friends.

What do our dogs want?

To explore! One way they explore the world is with their noses. Having a great place to just go on a sniffari (a sniffy walk) is an outlet that offers many advantages. It is low key, no stress on the human or dog, and sniffing is actually a calming activity. It’s a nice option to reduce stress in dogs that tend to be a bit anxious or over excited. Of course, choose places that are safe and free from dangers like foxtails, poisonous plants, etc.

Variety! The backyard is nice but there is so much more to see and do. Going to new places offers mental stimulation that is important for a well-balanced dog. We need to meet their physical exercise needs AND their mental enrichment needs too.

Energy release! Taking your dog places where they can run off leash is a great outlet BUT they need to have a reliable recall before you can do that. Long lines can be a great way to offer some freedom to move without worrying about your dog being too far away or not coming when called. I recommend a long line between 10 and 20 feet. Anything longer is too hard to manage. And no, I DO NOT recommend flexi leashes. But that’s for another discussion.

What do we want?

No pulling! We want to walk our dogs without our shoulders hurting or getting yanked around. We want to stroll around the neighborhood and not be embarrassed by our dogs dragging us from place to place.

Keep moving! Our walks with our dogs are often also intended to be exercise for us. If they keep stopping to check things out, we are not getting the exercise we expected and often get frustrated.

Ignore the stuff! This goes hand in hand with the above. You only have a set amount of time and want to keep going and get through the walk so stopping and smelling the roses/bushes/goose poop/peed on trees, etc. is not on the agenda.

How do we balance these differing needs?

Go solo. If you are wanting an exercise walk or run and you find that your dog is not in sync with you, go solo or with a friend and leave your dog at home. You’ll enjoy yourself more and be less frustrated.

Go on a walk that is just for your dog. A sniffari is a great option. Head to a nice grassy area, put your dog on a 10-15 long line and just let them sniff to their heart’s content. Of course, make sure there aren’t any dangers in the area or things their leash can get wrapped around, including people and dogs.

Plan for a “half and half” walk – half what you want and half what your dog wants. Choose a location where you have ample opportunities to just let your dog sniff and check out the environment without it being so stimulating that it overwhelms your dog (or you). Walk together for a bit and then let your dog explore the area. Rinse and repeat.

With just a bit of planning and a slight shift in expectations, you and your pup will be walking like a team in no time!

Want to learn more?

Join our upcoming Loose Leash Walking - Pull No More class to learn the 3 Key Skills to having your dog walking nicely wherever you go. It's a 3-week class where you will play short games that are fun for both you and your pup and set you on the path to enjoying your walks together.

Note that I only recommend tools that are gentle and cause no pain for the dogs. Front clip harnesses are a great option to help with loose leash walking and there are many styles on the market to fit every size and body type. The Ruff Wear Front Range harness is one of my favorites.

Categories: Loose Leash Walking