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Why is teaching our dogs to not pull on lead so challenging?

πŸ‘€ DOG’S INTERNAL MONOLOGUE VS HUMAN REALITY:

THE GREAT LEAD PULLING DEBATE

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ• “Let me check my pee-mail… EMERGENCY RESPONSE NEEDED! ZOOM

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„ “My Apple Watch just called emergency services due to ‘erratic movement patterns’

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ• “Why do humans have a setting called ‘stroll’? Is their battery dying?”

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„ “This was supposed to be a relaxing evening walk, not Olympic training”

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ• “Left side sniffs are SO different from right side sniffs”

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„ “We’ve crossed this sidewalk 47 times in 10 meters”

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ• “Social etiquette requires me to alert ALL DOGS within a 5-mile radius of my presence”

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„”Pretty sure we just got listed on noise-complaint apps”

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ•”BREAKING NEWS: Dog spotted 3 blocks away! Immediate investigation required!”

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„”My shoulder just made a sound I’ve never heard before”

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ• “This is clearly an emergency! That leaf moved 3 blocks away!”

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„ “It’s the same leaf we’ve passed 47 times today. It’s still just a leaf.”

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ• “I must inspect this pole – it contains crucial messages about neighborhood squirrel activities”

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„ “Great, another 10-minute investigation of the same pole we sniffed 5 minutes ago”

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ• “I’m saving time by getting to our destination faster!”

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„ “We’re literally going in circles because you keep getting tangled around trees”

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ• “Must maintain my reputation as fastest dog on the block!”

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„ “We’re the laughingstock of puppy training class”

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ• “This bush definitely contains a portal to another dimension”

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„ “It’s the same bush you’ve thoroughly inspected every day for the past 3 years”

 

DOG’S VERSION πŸ• “Stop. Sniff. SPRINT! Stop. Sniff. SPRINT! This is the perfect walking rhythm!”

HUMAN’S VERSION πŸ™„ “My Fitbit thinks I’m having a medical emergency with these erratic speed changes”

 

 

 

Loose lead walking can sometimes feel like trying to pilot a furry tornado down the road and is one of the most frustrating behaviours for our dogs to learn as well as for us to teach – but why?

 

  • We want to be able to just enjoy a walk round the block or to the park
  • Our dogs want to explore and investigate
  • We walk much slower than our dogs naturally do
  • Our dogs don’t walk in straight lines like we do
  • We know what we want our dogs to do but our dogs don’t
  • Teaching takes time and patience
  • We have unrealistic expectations of what lead walking should look like from social media
  • We don’t consider how challenging locations are for our dogs

 

Tips for teaching our dogs to not pulling on lead:

  • Decide what we want our dogs to do on lead (rather than what we don’t want)
  • Practice short lead walking sessions with few distractions
  • Make it as fun as teaching any other skill
  • Gradually build up places you can lead walk to more challenging locations
  • Give our dogs dedicated time to sniff when lead walking
  • Avoid telling our dogs off but make lead walking fun
  • Avoid practicing on the way to the park initially as our dogs get excited to get there
  • Reward lead walking with things your dog enjoys to build your new skill
  • Reward in the place you want your dog to walk
  • Be patient with your self and your dog as skills take time to develop
  • Don’t compare yourself to what you see online – your walk can be what you want it to beΒ 

 

Want more support to develop your loose lead walking?Β 

Checkout our group class options:

Dog Training Class for Everyday Life

Puppy Training Life Skills Class

 

 

Or our personalized sessions at your home, local park our our training venue

1:1 Training

 

Or give Eleanor a call on 07940979936

 

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