Teaching a dog to walk on a leash is one of the most complicated tasks in dog training. Not only because it is an unnatural practice for the animal, but also because owners often do not take into consideration certain factors that are vital in the dog’s learning process.
How to teach your dog to stop pulling on the leash requires patience, understanding, perseverance and constant practice. But in order to achieve effective learning, the incorporation of certain aspects into the dog’s daily life will be the key to achieving this goal.
Identifying why your dog pulls on the leash
In order to find an appropriate solution to this problem, the first thing to do is to know the cause of the problem. There are different reasons why a dog may pull insistently on the leash, either because he is very excited, stressed or anxious about a specific point, or because he is not used to such activity.
To teach your dog to stop pulling on the leash, the most important thing is to identify the reason, without it, all the solutions, tricks or training would be useless.
Develop a training routine
Routine is key to learning by doing, well-structured practice will help a person make impressive progress. It is important that in the design of a training routine, aspects such as the environment, positive reinforcement, voice commands and even the dog’s own personality are taken into consideration, without forgetting that the person also plays a determining role in his training.
For the routine and training to be successful, it is essential that the person establishes a positive association for the dog with the act of walking on the leash. This makes positive reinforcement a great ally.
In training and in the routine itself, all changes and advances must be made progressively, step by step and calmly. Overloading the dog with instructions and commands that he does not understand will only make him more stressed and anxious than usual, making it more difficult for him to learn.
Use appropriate equipment
Elements such as the collar, leash and harness are of greater importance than they are given when training a dog to walk on a leash. Not only can the proper choice of these accessories help make the person’s job easier, but it can also prevent damage to the dog’s health and provide a greater sense of security.
Walking equipment should be selected according to the physical and personality characteristics of the dog. Always use good quality, flexible and resistant harnesses and leashes that help to maintain a firm control over the animal without damaging it.
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