How can I teach my dog to stop pulling and walk without tension?

Question

Zurrick pulls a little when walking. Not hard, but she likes to keep a small amount of constant tension. I am not sure she pulls hard enough that a head leader would disturb her. I have tried stopping when she pulls but I taught her to sit when I stop & she's very good at that so she's not learning to ease up on the leash, just sit, which inadvertently loosens the tension. I want her to walk without tension. Sometimes she does this very well, but other times not at all. How can I teach her? Pet's info: Dog | Wolf Hybrid | Female | unspayed | 6 months and 5 days old | 75 lbs

Eryn Taormina, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear about the pulling troubles with Zurrick. It can be very frustrating to try to go on nice, long walks with our dogs if they pull a lot. I have the same problem with my dog, especially in new areas, so we have been working with a trainer. We have been using a special type of harness that applies tension from the front of the chest as well as at the shoulders, to give us more control. Walking with a fanny pack with some tiny bits of treats (I usually recommend very tiny pieces of cooked chicken, like literally giving a pinch when the dog does well) so you can easily reward the good behavior. If Zurrick has any food sensitivities, use treats that she tolerates well. I would start by walking in a familiar area, even the back yard. You want to start in a familiar area as she will likely be excited in a new place and want to explore right away. Once you have more control, you can take her to new places, and you will be better prepared to handle her bursts of energy as she acclimates to that area. Pick the side you want her to walk on. Practice your verbal command, "heel", is a good one, so she is learning that you want her to walk beside you. If you pick the left side, she will stand there. You will take the leash and put it behind your waist, and hold it in your right hand. You can give her treats with your left hand when she does well. You may have to start with showing her the treat and making her walk closely to you. Eventually this can turn into her just getting rewarded while walking beside you intermittently. If she pulls, you can give her the command and change directions, applying the light tension and making her follow you. When she does, treat. It is very daunting at first, but the more you do it, the better she will be. You have to just do it over and over. With the harness that we use, you can put two leashed on at once, and it will give you more control initially. As I mentioned above, I am currently working with a trainer who comes every other week to work with my dog, and once a month to work with me and my dog together. In the interim, I practice with him on our own as long as it's going well. If we have a bad day, I'll usually stop and address what happened with the trainer before trying again, so I don't do something wrong. You may need to have a trainer come and work with you if you really cannot get her under control. Walking should be fun, and you shouldn't have to worry about her dragging you all over the place. Here is the link for the harness. I love chewy.com and get a lot of things for my dogs on the site. They have great prices, and I'm happy with the quality of everything so far. https://www.chewy.com/petsafe-easy-walk-dog-harness/dp/48923 Here is a link with some tips for dogs that are stressed when walking on the leash. The late Sophia Yin was an excellent veterinary behaviorist. I feel very comfortable with you using some of her advice to help guide you. https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/proper-walking-technique-turn-an-anxious-dog-into-a-calm-dog-in-just-minute/ Again, a good dog trainer is a always a great idea. You can always call Zurrick's veterinarian and get some recommendations. A good trainer's experience and knowledge is invaluable in helping you have a better relationship with your dog. I had no idea that my high energy hunting dog would like to play with puzzle toys so much and do scent work. It actually exhausts him more than physical exercise. I can literally tire him out by hiding his kibbles around the yard or the garage and then have him look for all of the pieces. If I tried to get this same result from physical exercise it could take hours. Something you could try would be a pickle pocket with her breakfast or dinner before his walk, to help quiet her mind ahead of time. (Also found on chewy). I will mention too that spaying Zurrick may help calm her down too in addition to its other health benefits. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!

How can I teach my dog to stop pulling and walk without tension?

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