By Jason Rae
For the APPLE VALLEY REVIEW
If your resolution is to get in shape this year what better way to start than going on long walks with your dog? However, that’s not possible if your dog doesn’t know how to walk on a leash properly.
Today, insideoutdogtraining.com is going to show you how to train him. (Visit www.vvdailypress.com to see the video webisode.)
Let’s start out by covering what equipment you don’t need:
— No prong collars
— No choke collars
— No harnesses
These devices either put too much stress on the dog, or cause them to pull you on the leash.
What you do need:
— Sturdy, standard flat collar
— Sturdy leash
The “Stop, Stay, and Change Direction Method” — This method is incredibly simple to use and requires no hard corrections on your dog. It’s a way to get your dog to pay attention to you, the handler, in a gentle way.
This is done by walking in a straight line and taking sharp, 90-degree turns of your choice, causing your dog to pay attention to you instead of his own agenda — which may be pulling you like a sled dog up the street. Most heavy pullers are going to forge ahead of you. Just stop, let them continue to the end of the leash, and then make your turn.
Make sure you don’t pull them backward when they are trying to pull you forward, because we are not correcting them, we are teaching them to follow us when we go the other way. It’s a behavior replacement because your dog now associates a nice loose leash with walking instead of a tight leash. This may take some time in the beginning; be patient. It’s a process that may start out with little improvements like your dog stopping before he hits the end of the leash when forging.
When you start to see these cues he’s starting to understand, keep it up until your dog starts to choose the behavior you’re looking for, which is walking with you instead of against you.
Some Tips to Think About:
— We’re not correcting the bad behavior; we’re replacing it with a new one.
— Use an assertive, purposeful walk instead of a slow one, waiting on your dog to follow.
— Use 90-degree turns, not circles.
That’s it. It’s that simple. You’ll have a great walking companion in no time out there on your journey to good health. We’ll see you on the next post. Until then, remember you can always give us a call if you need additional help at 760-265-9887, or visit insideoutdogtraining.com.