Harnesses, Gentle Leads, Pinch Collars.
In the dog training world there are MANY different methods, techniques, and equipment that are available to help teach your dog to not pull while on their leash. But which one do you use? Below we will be going over the most common pieces of equipment used to teach your dog to stop pulling on a leash and give you our opinion on their usefulness as well as some methods to try at home.
Harnesses: This is the most popular tool people use to try and teach their dog to stop pulling but we have some bad news for you: harnesses make pulling worse! Many people think that putting a harness on their overexcited pooch will help them control their dog better, but it actually makes it easier for your dog to pull. The reason we put harnesses on dogs is to encourage them to pull us along, think about it; sled dogs wear harnesses to pull sleds across snowy landscapes, seeing-eye dogs wear harnesses to guide their blind owners from place to place, drafting dogs wear harnesses to pull carts, scent dogs wear harness to pull handlers along the scent trail. Notice a pattern? In most dogs (I say most because there will always be outliers and exceptions to everything) putting a harness on them initiates this desire to pull, pull, pull. Harnesses allow a dog to be comfortable while pulling you along and it initiates this intense urge to pull even harder. So, if you’re having trouble with your dog walking politely next to you, ditch that harness and see our training tips down below!
Gentle leads: Gentle leads can be a hit or a miss, it really depends on your dog. There are some dogs that absolutely hate having a lead on their nose and will spend the entire walk trying to get it off. For a dog like this, it’s counter productive to try and make them enjoy this type of lead, (even with positive association by using treats) some dogs will still fight against it. Let’s be honest here, your dog is a dog not a horse and shouldn’t be guided like one. However, there are some dogs that actually do better with this type of lead but it is important to know how to us it efficiently. When you first introduce a gentle lead to your dog don’t just immediately go for a long walk, instead, practice walking around in your driveway erratically. Start walking in one direction and quickly switch which way you’re walking and give a sharp, quick tug to let your dog know that you are going somewhere else now. Not only does this exercise teach your dog to carefully watch you to know which way you’ll be going, but it also shows them that this lead can and will physically move them to where you want them, whether they want to or not.
Pinch collars: Pinch collars are not for your average dog, pinch collars are a tool meant for extreme pullers, ones that are completely out of control. A pinch collar, when worn properly, will be a huge discomfort to your dog if they pull too hard. It is an amazing tool that will give you fast and drastic results when used properly. Please make sure you fit the collar properly to your dog before you begin a training session. A good exercise to teach your dog not to pull with a pinch collar is similar to the gentle lead exercise. Once the pinch collar is fitted to your dog, practice in your driveway or backyard before going on a walk. Start the training by walking in one direction with your dog and when they begin to pull, give the leash a quick tug back towards you. If your dog stops pulling then begin walking in the opposite direction and repeating that quick tug whenever your dog pulls. If your dog does not respond the first time to the quick tug then tug back again but harder this time to get their attention. Keep tugging back on them until they decide to pay attention to you; when they successfully look to you for guidance walk in the opposite direction and tug again if pulling resumes. Your training exercise should look like this: dog pulls, quick tug, dog looks to you for guidance, switch direction you’re walking, repeat. When your dog starts to catch on they will pull less frequently and will look to you for direction more frequently rather than bulldozing ahead to where they want to go.
Try these training tips at home with your pooch and remember that patience, consistency, and time are key to dog training. We recommend that you practice with your dog for 20 minutes a day but if you’re still having trouble with your dog behaving please give us a call and we would love to schedule a free consultation with you and your family.
All the best!
Premier Dog Training
