christmas dogs toys  
Pawsability Dog and Puppy Training and Behaviour
Dog Training, Puppy Training, Pet Behaviour Advice and Therapy
Dog Training Classes
 
Dog Training and Behaviour Index
Home | Puppy Help | Dog Help | Cats | Contact Us | About us | Helpful Links | Search the Site

Pet Shop, Perth
Pet Shop + Supplies
TOP SELLERS....
o Xmas Dogs Toys
 o Flashing Collars
 o Gentle Leaders
o Tough Chews
Help for Scared dogs
o Fireworks/Noise, Fear
o DAPs
New
o Dog Tags
o Large Dogs
o Small Dogs
The Puppy Shop
o Puppy Starter Packs
o Calming your puppy
o Puppy Leads/Collars
o Puppy Chewing/Biting
o Puppy House Training
o Puppy Toys
Dog Walking
o Gentle Leaders
o Haltis
o Dog Leads/Collars
o Flashing Collars/Blinkers
Dog Training Supplies
o Dog Clicker Training
o Dog Books
o Dog Training Equipment
Dog Toys n Chews
o Dog Kongs,Food Toys
o Dog Chews, Raggers
o Chocolate Chews
o Fetch Dog Toys
o Whacky Dog Toys
Dog Treats
o Dog Treats
o Dog Food
o Fish Treats 4 Dogs
Health
o Dog Tick Removal
o Dog Grooming
o Healthy Dog Teeth
o Muksak
Pay securely via
paypal logo
You don't need a
paypal account!
Prices excluding P,P
 

Dog Training - Lead Pulling / Walk to Heel

 The Pawsability Pet Shop, Perth

 

Step 1 - If your dog already pulls, then choose a Gentle Leader or Halti Harness to help fill in the gaps between training sessions.

Step 2 - Training your dog or puppy to walk nicely to heel and not to pull on the lead

As with all dog training, teaching a puppy never to pull on the lead is far easier than stopping them pulling later.

But, whether you’re teaching a puppy or an older dog, the training process is much the same – it just takes longer to teach a dog who’s already learned that pulling on the lead is a fun thing to do – even if they seem to be choking themselves. Start off in a quiet place in the house and simply lure your dog or puppy to your leg and give them a treat. Take a step, give another treat. Take two steps and another treat (or click and treat). Take several steps and give a treat. Do this around the house and garden before using the lead. Then repeat the process with the lead on, but without using it to pull your puppy or dog to you.

If they do try to pull on the lead, just stand still, holding the lead. Don’t play tug of war. Simply stand still. As soon as your dog stops pulling then say “good” and give them a treat.

When your dog no longer pulls on the lead around the house and garden, or when they at least understand the game a little, then go for a walk. Take good handful (i.e. perhaps half the meal!) of your dogs food (if your not feeding complete dry food then use equivalent treats) with you. Walk slowly, practising both luring your dog to your leg and also standing still when they pull. Continue to reward them as above, each time they stop pulling or walk to heel. Gradually building up the number of steps you can take without them pulling on the lead.

Training Aids

o Haltis

o A FREE - How to stop your dog pulling and walk nicely to heel training note is available with the gentle leader and halti-harness
Doesn’t it all sound so simple? Well, with lots of training practice and consistency, your dog should learn that pulling on the lead is not nearly as rewarding as being by your side. But, work slowly, gradually building up the training, and don’t expect miracles.

Obviously some dogs don’t take to this as well as others and some seem to have a genetically inbuilt obsession to lead pulling. So, sometimes more help is needed. Gentle Leaders or Halti Harnesses are both excellent products to help to stop your dog pulling. Please take care when introducing these to your dog and ensure that they are an appropriate product for your dog’s circumstances. Some dogs also need behaviour therapy to help them learn.

And finally – take things slowly! - If you can’t get your dog to stop pulling on the lead when you’re standing still then they will never learn to stop pulling when they’ve got some walking momentum.

Have fun training your dog to learn not to pull on the lead. And, if you need any further help, please contact Pawsability or a behaviourist or trainer near you.

Important Notes :

  • If the motivation for your dog pulling on the lead is aggression, then contact a Behaviour Therapist to get expert help.
  • Always take care of safety when training and be prepared if you know your dog may pull – especially if the ground is muddy or slippy.
  • Dog and Puppy Training Classes can also help a great deal because they give your dog the opportunity to practice whilst there are other distractions around. Your trainer will help you work at your dog's learning level and help you to gradually build up distractions - hence making the training more effective.

Quick Tips for lead pulling.............

  1. Break the pulling habit - Is your dog already a committed lead puller? If you do have a pulling dog, breaking the habit is half the battle - after all - practice makes perfect! That's where halters such as a Gentle Leader or harnesses like the Halti-Harness come in useful. If your dog is already a committed puller, then every time they get to pull whilst you're not actually training, is really working against your training. Not all harnesses and halters are the same - harnesses where you attach your lead to the shoulders simply help the dog to build up their pulling muscles. And, some halters are too easily pawed off the nose.
  2. Momentum gives a dog more force allowing them to pull harder on the lead. The first step then is to teach your dog to stop pulling whilst you're standing still. Then to stop him pulling as you take one step, then two, and so on. Simply stand still and wait for him to stop pulling, then praise him.
  3. Have you ever taught your dog that walking to heel is a "nice" thing to do? Use clicker training to lure him to your leg and teach him that heel is a nice place to be.
  4. Start at the beginning - if your dog jumps about madly in the house when you go to get the lead, then you need to teach him to be calm and sit nicely before putting the lead on. Excitement also increases energy and gives your dog the ability to pull harder on the lead. Again, clicker training is excellent to teach him to be calmer.
  5. Harnesses and halters are training aids - they help to break your dog's pulling habit, and that's half the battle. Then you can train your dog to walk to heel, and prevent them getting the opportunity to pulling on the lead. Every time your dog gets to pull on the lead in the middle of your training program, they are getting a chance to perfect the pulling habit and reducing the effect of all your hard training work. The Gentle Leader is great for dogs who don't mind anything around their noses and the halti-harness provide a really different and effective method of control.

 

 

 
   
Go to :
Dog Training Classes | Puppy Training Classes | Dog Behaviour Advice | Cat Behaviour Therapy | Private Dog Training | Puppy Help | Pet Shop | Pet Links | Local Business Links | Pups, Rescue, Rehoming
dog behaviour training logo
       
©2005 Anna Patfield
  
Pawsability Dog Training and Pet Behaviour, Perth, Scotland - 01738 812319 -
Terms and Conditions - Disclaimer - SiteMap
web by GMTProjects