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NICE
LEASH WALKING
One
of the most frequently encountered (and frustrating) problems
encountered in training at the shelter is pulling on the leash. It is
neither fun nor enjoyable to try walking a dog when she’s paying no
attention and pulling your arm off! Luckily, this problem is easy to
fix.
First,
you have to realize that a walk- no matter how rough- is rewarding to
your dog. She may be hurting her neck by pulling, but at least she’s
outside and moving! To get her attention, every time she pulls the
leash, stop moving. Just stop. When there is slack in the leash, start
moving again. Pulling? Stop again. The dog will clue in very quickly
that whenever she pulls her human, the reward stops.
You
can supplement this with a clicker. When there is slack, not only do you
move forward, but you also click and treat. Be prepared to click and
treat A LOT in the beginning—you want the dog to have a clear
picture of exactly what you want. As the dog catches on, raise your
standards: only click when the dog is on your left side, then only when
she is right beside you. Soon you will have a lovely, obedient dog who
walks at heel with no problems at all.
For
some dogs who are particularly excitable, it may be helpful to use a
head halter such as a Halti® or Gentle Leader® while clicker training
to walk on a loose leash. These are special collars with a strap that
fits around the back of your dog’s head and another that goes around
her nose. They do not inhibit normal dog behaviours like sniffing,
panting, drinking or eating. Their purpose is to manipulate the dog’s
nose and keep it nearer to you without inflicting any pain or
discomfort. Although your dog may resent the nose-strap at first, it is
not painful and the dog will learn to accept it with time and treats.
These collars are rapidly replacing other such barbaric devices such as
pinch or prong collars and choke chains.
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