WALK NICE
TEACH YOU DOG TO BEHAVE WHILE ON LEASH.
TEACHING A LARGE DOG LIKE A GERMAN SHEPHERD TO WALK WHILE ON A LOOSE LEASH IS CRITICAL TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP. IT’S NO FUN BEING DRAGGED DOWN THE STREET, AND THIS BREED CAN EVEN SCARE PASSERSBY IF SHE’S CHARGING AHEAD WITH AN OUT-OF-CONTROL OWNER IN TOW.
START LEASH TRAINING USING THE FOLLOWING EQUIPMENT:
A FLAT LEATHER OR NYLON BUCKLE COLLAR
A 6 FOOT LEATHER OR NYLON LEASH
SMALL TREATS, LIKE PIECES OF HOT DOG OR CHEESE; OR A SMALL TOY OR BALL THAT YOUR DOG LOVES.
TO TEACH A PUPPY TO WALK NICELY ON A LEASH, SIMPLY PUT THE FLAT BUCKLE COLLAR AND LEASH ON THE PUP AND GIVE HER SOME TIME TO GET USED TO THE SENSATION OF THE COLLAR AROUND HER NECK. THIS IS A STRANGE FEELING FOR A DOG, AN ANIMAL THAT ASSOCIATES CONTRADICTION OF THE NECK AS PUNISHMENT FROM PACK MEMBERS. ONCE SHE’S COMFORTABLE WITH HAVING THE COLLAR AND LEASH ON, START FOLLOWING HER AROUND AS SHE WANDERS. YOU’RE JUST GETTING HER USED TO THE NEWNESS OF THE SENSATION.
NEXT, ENCOURAGE HER TO FOLLOW YOU BY SHOWING HER THAT YOU HAVE TREATS, OR BY USING YOUR BEST PRAISE VOICE. IF SHE GETS AHEAD OF YOU AND STARTS TUGGING AT THE LEASH, SIMPLY STOP AND ENCOURAGE HER TO COME BACK TO YOU, AND THEN START AGAIN. THE IDEA IS THAT SHE WALK COMFORTABLY WITH YOU ON A LOOSE LEASH. YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO PLAY TUG-OF-WAR ON A WALK.
THERE ARE, HOWEVER, A FEW WAYS TO DEAL WITH A TUGGER.
STAND STILL. WHAT YOUR DOG PULLS AHEAD, JUST STOP IN YOUR TACKS AND REFUSE TO MOVE UNTIL THERE’S SLACK IN THE LEASH. A SMART DOG WILL EVENTUALLY REALIZE THAT IF SHE CONTINUES TO TUG, SHE GOES NOWHERE, BUT IF SHE WALKS NICELY, THE WALKS CONTINUES.
CHANGE DIRECTION. WHEN YOUR DOG PULLS, TURN SHARPLY IN THE OTHER DIRECTION AND START WALKING BRISKLY AWAY FROM WHERE SHE WAS PULLING. WHEN SHE PULLS AGAIN, CHANGE DIRECTION AGAIN.
HEAD HARNESS. A HEAD HARNESS IS A GREAT WAY TO TEACH A PULLER TO HOLD HER HORSES. THE HARNESS IS DESIGNED TO PULL THE DOG’S HEAD TO THE SIDE AS, SHE PULLS ON THE LEASH. SHE SOON COMES TO LEARN, PAINLESSLY, THAT IF SHE PULLS SHE DOESN’T GET ANYWHERE, OR SHE GETS TURNED AROUND. IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SOME DOGS TO NOT TOLERATE THIS HARNESS WELL AND WILL SPEND THE ENTIRE WALK TRYING TO TAKE IT OFF.
IF YOU WANT YOUR DOG TO FOLLOW THE HEEL COMMAND RATHER THAN WALK ON A LOOSE LEASH, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET A LITTLE MORE CREATIVE. START TEACHING HEEL BY PUTTING THE DOG IN A SITTING POSITION AT YOUR LEFT SIDE. HOLD THE LEASH IN YOUR LEFT HAND, AND THE REMAINING END OF THE LEASH IN YOUR RIGHT SO THAT THE LEASH IS ACROSS YOUR BODY. TELL THE DOG TO HEEL AND STEP OUT WITH THE LEFT FOOT. THE LEFT LEG IS THE GUIDE FOR THE DOG -- ALWAYS START AND STOP ON THE LEFT FOOT. REMEMBER, THE IDEA IS TO WORK AS A TEAM; THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DOG. WHEN YOU STOP WALKING, YOUR DOG SHOULD KNOW TO SIT AT YOUR LEFT SIDE. USING TREATS, STEP OUT WITH YOUR LEFT FOOT, ENCOURAGING THE DOG TO WALK. THEN STOP AND GIVE THE SIT COMMAND, AND OFFER A TREAT AS THE DOG SITS. IF SHE DOESN’T SIT, USE THE TREAT TO LURE A SIT, AND THEN PRAISE HER. ONCE SHE’S SITTING, WALK AGAIN STARTING WITH YOUR LEFT FOOT, AND TELL THE DOG TO HEEL. TEACHING HEELS MEANS THAT YOU WANT YOUR DOG TO WALK AT YOUR LEFT LEG -- NOT IN FRONT OF YOU OR BEHIND. THIS IS PART OF OBEDIENCE TRAINING AND IS HOW MANY SEASONED DOG TRAINERS PREFER THEIR DOG TO BEHAVE. THE AVERAGE PET OWNER MAY WANT THE DOG TO SIMPLY WALK ON A LOOSE LEASH.