Tonight I got a link to an informative article on Fox news... some good tips on training your dog not to pull on the leash when you're walking, and not to suddenly lunge.
A big dog can knock you to the ground doing that, so teaching them not to do it is important.
In addition to the tips in the article - here's one I learned when Suzie and I were doing obedience training:
Our class held several people with dogs who couldn't quite get the "pay attention" part, so the dogs were constantly trying to pull away from their handlers, and the handlers were becoming more tense and upset - as well as worn out from being jerked around.
Our teacher pointed out that energy passes from a person's hand, through the leash, to the dog - so along with them being able to sense their handler's emotions just because that's something dogs can do, the handlers' stress transmitting through the leash was making these dogs even more unruly.
The answer: Step on the leash. Keep one end in your hand, of course, but just stand on the leash and let the dog jerk on the bottom of your foot rather than your arm. The energy from your hand isn't there, and unlike the reaction he gets from jerking on your arm, there's no give, so he'll tire of that pretty quickly.
The article above discusses using a special control harness for training - we used a choke collar in class. I know, it sounds mean, but when it's put on properly, it isn't. As soon as the dog releases the pull, the collar also releases. So the only time it's even tight on his neck is if you give it a brief tug to tell him something, or if he's pulling.
An obedient dog is a joy - a misbehaving dog is a trial - so take the time to teach your dog good manners. You'll both be happier!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
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