A Drag Down the Sidewalk? No Yanks!

Some trainers recommend that you stop or turn around every time your dog pulls. But, it’s nearly impossible for you to walk your dog while stopping every time he pulls! It’s time for different solutions.

Some trainers recommend that you stop or turn around every tie your dog pulls. But, it’s nearly impossible for you to walk your dog while stopping every time he pulls!

Pulling on leash is a drag for both you and the dog. Sadly, many good dogs miss out on regular walks because their exuberant pulling makes it too unpleasant for their owner, or in some cases, totally unsafe. With a low center of gravity and “four wheel drive” power, even small and medium-sized dogs can quickly exhaust their owner’s arms and be tough to control.

The good news is that your dog’s pulling can be greatly reduced – and fast – just by choosing the right (gentle) equipment. Then, if/when you are ready to do some training work, you can modify the behavior on a regular flat collar. In this two-part article, we’ll teach you both types of training solutions: first, management (the quick fix) and  then modification (long-term behavior training).

To start, let’s explore: why do dogs pull?

• A dog’s natural pace is much faster than ours.
• Dogs are interested in more scents, sights, and sounds than we are and they want to investigate them all, now. This is especially true of young pups.
• Dogs don’t know that the sidewalk is the designated “walking zone” – they follow their interests, not the path.

All of the above are reasons why a dog hits the end of the leash. Once that happens, dogs keep pulling the whole time, every walk, every day, because it works! Every dog quickly learns that when they pull, they go in the direction they want, because we follow (to make it easier on us, in the short term). Some trainers recommend that you stop or turn around every time your dog pulls. But, it’s nearly impossible for you to walk your dog while stopping every time he pulls! So, let’s look at different solutions that work:

Management

Management is a trainer’s term for “get it under control” without having to do any training work. In other words, set the dog up for success, regardless of his behavior issues. Management is great if you don’t have any time to train and you want the problem under control right away. Even if you are planning on doing a lot of training work later, the first step is management, so that the behavior stops getting practiced as soon as possible.

The front-clip harness is easily accepted by most dogs, and can quickly reduce their pulling strength anywhere from about 50 – 90%.

The most humane and effective tools to manage pulling are front clip harnesses and head halters. Both will make it difficult for the dog to have the momentum and control to pull you, and they do so without causing the dog pain. The front clip harness is easily accepted by most dogs, and can quickly reduce their pulling strength anywhere from about 50 – 90%, starting on the very first walk. The head halter takes a little more time to fit and get the dog used to, but it is extremely powerful and can make some of the toughest pullers feel as light as a feather. This “power steering” tool takes away the dog’s leverage by connecting at a point that is hard to pull from – his head and chin. Also, where the head goes, the body follows, hence one popular product’s name – the Gentle Leader.

There are many good front clip harness and head halter products available to you, and they are easily found in pet stores and online retailers. Check out Premier, Sense-ation, Sporn, and Halti – all established brands that have been reducing pulling for years.

Stay tuned: In our next blog/newsletter, we’ll talk about how to modify pulling behavior for the long-term, regardless of what equipment you use. Sign up for the newsletter on the left side of this page.

Dogs Taking Over the House?

If you’ve ever had more than one dog in your home, you know life can sometimes feel like a circus, or even a jungle! Lions and tigers and bears might be easier to handle than a house full of dogs.

This gorgeous quartet can be fun or frenzy!

Life with “your pack” can be tons of fun. But, those of us who do it know that two dogs are more than twice the work of one, and three or four can feel like twelve. Several dogs can bring fun and energy to your home, as long as they’re managed well and they’re well-suited to your lifestyle and each other. In order to maximize the fun and tone down the chaos, there are a few simple tricks that can be extremely valuable to the multi-dog owner.

1. Teach One Name that Calls Them All

You can choose anything from “dogs,” to “monsters,” but it’s a whole lot more efficient than calling, “Sparky, Princess, Spike, Lily, Cisco…” for sure! To do this, you just say the name in an attention-getting voice, and reward any dog who looks. It won’t take too many tries for everyone to be willing participants in this game and catch on! Once they’ve mastered their group moniker, you’re well on your way to keeping them under control and looking like a lion-tamer.

2. Treat Each Dog as an Individual

Many people get bogged down with the idea of treating every dog in the house exactly the same, all the time. For example, if you take one dog to the vet, you may feel like by leaving the others behind, they’ll feel bad, so you take the others out for a little trip later to make up for it. One dog got a cookie for sitting politely at the door, but the rest need one too, so that you can sleep soundly at night knowing that you’re a good dog mom. When dogs don’t learn how to tolerate frustration, it can lead to huge problems for them, and especially for you. So, don’t get hung up on making sure that you treat every single dog exactly the same every minute of every day. They are individuals, and treating them as such will help them, and you, and relieve a lot of stress for all involved.

3. Teach the Same Manners to Everyone

Teaching these guys to stay was as easy as 1-2-3!

It really helps to teach your group of dogs to perform behaviors as a group – specifically key manners behaviors like “Get Back” or “Stay”. This is more difficult than doing something with a single dog, but not as challenging as you might think. You can break the process down into a few simple steps. First, teach each dog a behavior like “Stay,” on their own.  Practice it with each individual separately until they are reliable on their own. (Side note: Yes, you should keep the other dog(s) in another room or behind a gate while you teach your pupil. Remember, they can handle it and it’s good for them to learn a little patience! Use a stuffed Kong as a distraction if needed.) Once you’ve taught each dog separately, begin to practice with two at the same time, until they’re reliable together. If you have more than two, keep adding one dog at a time. Once they’ve got the basics as a group, you can add little distractions, one at a time, and at a slow pace. If you are adding distractions to the entire group, and one dog isn’t getting it, work with that individual separately to bring him up to speed. Training the “entire team” takes a little extra time, but when your dogs are well-mannered as a group, you’ll be impressed and pleased, and so will your friends!

Inspired by dogs? Check out this video of our students and mentors training theirs!

What does my Dog Choice Mean for my Life?

Why do we choose the dogs we do? Whether you’re a dog owner, a trainer, or a rescue worker, it’s valuable to understand this. There IS one moment when you choose the dog you will spend years with. What made YOU pick out the dog that you have now? Was it the black splotch over his eye? Was it the fact that she looked just like the last dog you had? How about that it had to be a boy, and this was the last boy in the litter? Or was it that you’ve always had Golden Retrievers and wanted another, and it had to be cream colored, too?

It’s no secret that most of us pick our dogs based on looks.

As humans, we are highly visual, and we base a lot of decisions on the way things look. Sometimes it works out for us, and sometimes it doesn’t. Just because a dog is gorgeous doesn’t mean he will be well behaved. Just ask show dog owners. Their confident, energetic dogs are notorious for naughtiness.

What about breed bias?

Most of us have a breed preference, or at least a size preference. Maybe we only want “real” dogs and that means they have to be over 50, or 60, or 100 pounds! Or maybe your version of a “real” dog is one you can pick up, snuggle into your cheek, and share your pillow with.

There are practical limitations. Many of us are limited by the rules of our landlord or community. Perhaps your choices are restricted by your allergies (hypoallergenic doodle, anyone?).

Looks and limitations aside, we have to be careful to judge every dog as an individual.

Choosing a dog based on her personality (behavioral tendencies) is a rare thing, even among knowledgeable, educated dog professionals. Putting personality over looks takes a certain wisdom (usually acquired after owning a dog or two) and those who do it reap the rewards. If you want to find a personality that will compliment your life (instead of complicate it), be honest about your lifestyle and the kind of dog that fits into it. If you’re an athlete who likes to spend lots of time exercising with your dog, or you want to teach her tons of tricks, a sporting or herding breed will probably be great for you. But, will she still be a great choice in a few years, if you get married, have children, or get promoted at work? Only if you still carve out the time for her.

You can always find a few sporting or herding dog individuals that have minimal exercise needs.

But, that doesn’t fit with the average for these breeds. A rare, calm example of an active breed can still be great for you if you get married, have a few children, and get promoted. But, it’s unlikely that you’ll find her if you choose based on looks alone!

Whether you are getting a puppy from a breeder or adopting an adult from a shelter, no one ignores looks completely. After all, we live with dogs to enjoy having a beautiful animal brighten up our living rooms, bedrooms, and yards every day. Our advice is to keep looks near the top of your list, but make sure you prioritize behavioral tendencies, and the dog’s likelihood to fit into your lifestyle. Your long-term relationship will succeed when you choose the dog whose behavior suits you most.  Besides, after a while, no matter which dog you have, you’ll think she’s the cutest thing on four legs!

For more on How to Choose a Great Dog for You, read the article by the same name found here.