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Posted by Margaret on April 20, 2008, 11:30 pm, in reply to "Hyper Dog"
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It isn't difficult to teach a dog to walk on a loose lead when you know how, all mine pulled when I first got them but by working them like this they no longer pull. You do need to do it every day for about 10 minutes until they are walking nicely next to you.
I use a trail/tracking type harness on my dogs. These go down each side of the neck instead of round the chest so it is more difficult to pull in them. also the strap round the body is futher back than most harnesses and they don't rub. 2 of my dogs rub easily but these harnesses have never rubbed them.
I also have a 6ft lead which I attach to the harness, with the dog on my left I hold the loop in the lead in my right hand, my left hand holds the lead nearer my dog but which lets them me on a loose lead, the lead between my hands is loose as well.
I say, "close" to my dogs and start to walk, if their head goes in front of my hip, I drop the lead in my left hand and turn and walk the other way. When the dog is getting close, again I say "close" and pick up the loose lead in my left hand again. I don't get very far at first, usually just walk up and down the same piece of pavement but it doesn't take long when my dog starts to watch what I am doing and starts to walk next to me.
After about 5 or 10 minutes, depending on how they are doing, I like to finish on a good note with praising my dog, I stop the training. I do this daily until my dogs automatically walks close to me, normally about 7 to 10 days.
With this method if you forget to drop the lead in your left hand it does pull on the dog but not hard and because he has a harness on, it doesn't hurt him. If your timing is off and you let him get further forward than you want, it won't matter, just make sure next time your timing is better.
If your dog gets in front of you it is too late, you need to turn as soon as his head gets in front or he won't learn to walk next to you in the heal position.
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