When your dog won’t stop pulling on the leash you might start looking at options to fix this like:
- Contact a Dog Trainer
- Using a choker, prong or e-collar on them
- Try all sorts of training techniques with treats to have them calm down
- Yet you find that none of these options end up fixing the leash pulling…
So what can you do to STOP THE PULLING?
If you want to have a well behaved dog that DOESN’T PULL on a walk, they need to believe that you’re the pack-leader. Not being a good leader is the root cause for many problems… In most cases, once they let you lead them, they will follow, without pulling or misbehaving. I am not talking about harsh corrections or rough training.
Becoming the pack leader has little to do with hurting your dog. It is more about filling the void in your dogs life that causes them to feel like they have to protect and take care of YOU and themselves.
These leadership concepts go back to how wolves and other animals function. If you ask people how they feel about following a weak or inexperienced leader, they will often not want to follow them. People, like animals like to follow leaders who are capable and confident. Dogs are no different. People and Dogs like good capable managers who can be depended on when there is a problem… and can take care of protecting their group.
Within a group there’s always a leader (or a male and female leader). And the leaders are the ones who run the show (you’ll see why this is important in just a second). Here are some examples of what a leader of people or animals does or does not do:
- They eat first…
- They go through doors first.
- They lead the group (walk in front)
- When they go on a hunt or mission, the group follows…
- And this is a critical thing you need to understand: The leader LEADS the hunt.
- And in your dog’s mind, every time you go for a walk, it is the equivalent of them going on a hunt…
So if your dog is pulling on the leash… They more likely than not feel they need to fill the role as leader!
So what can you do about this?
How do you become the leader in your dog’s eyes?
Well, before you try training your dog, sign up for expensive behavioral classes, you’re going to want to understand this…
There are activities that tells your dog that YOU’RE the leader.
They have to do with:
Who Supplies the food (because in your dog’s mind, the pack leader is ALWAYS the one who eats first). There’s a simple, yet specific way which you have to feed your dog, which lets them know you’re the leader.
Who protects who … threats like dogs, animals, even other humans. There’s a specific way to show your dog that you’re the leader. You have to take care of threats.
The WAY which you greet your dog, every time you see them. This is a critical step which nearly all dog-owners mess up… because we give them attention when they aren’t calm which encourages the obnoxious greetings.
How your dog respects your personal space. If your dog jumps on you or invades your space, it’s subconsciously telling them that they’re the leader.
How you walk your dog. It’s critical to understand that for your dog, going on a walk is the equivalent of going on a HUNT. So if you’re not walking your dog the way a leader would… Your dog is walking you.