Stop dogs pulling on the lead forever – 3 steps

Dog training specialist Will Atherton has revealed three steps to quickly change your dog‘s behaviour on the lead within 20 to 30 seconds.

On his informative tutorial, Will said: “We have another case of extreme pulling, which is driving the owners mad.” But for people who now feel as though it’s a “nightmare” to walk their dog because of pulling on the lead, Will has the solution.

“Today we are going to be going through my process of how I take a dog from extreme puller to walking really nicely on a loose lead as quickly as possible,” he says.

Will has a three-step philosophy for fixing such undesirable behaviour that you can “absolutely” do with your own dog.

Step one: correction

Will’s first recommendation is the correction stage, which involves letting the dog know that pulling on the lead is unacceptable behaviour. “We have to make it very clear [to the dog] what we do want and what we don’t want,” he said.

Stating that you need the “right tool for the job”, Will said owners need a slip lead, which is a dog leash that combines a collar and leash into one. The lead will tighten around when the dog pulls, and releases tension when the dog relaxes.

Will emphasises that the slip lead is the foundational step needed to train the dog to stop intensive or extreme pulling.

Placing the slip lead “high, just behind the ears”, and making sure it’s “snug”, Will proceeded to explain that dogs that pull on the lead lack engagement with the owner.

“At no point is George [the dog he’s training] looking up to me for guidance and direction,” said Will. “He’s looking off into the distance and making his own decisions… that’s what creates pulling, lunging and can often turn into reactivity or aggression.”

To address this, in addition to the slip lead, the correctional process involves increasing owner and dog engagement.

“When he does engage with me, I’ve got a pocket full of treats and I’m going to be praising and rewarding the desirable behaviour of him bringing his attention back to me.”

After doing a few drills, Will said the dog’s behaviour has “astronomically” improved within 20 to 30 seconds of training.

Step two is redirection to the behaviour that you do want that involves heel training, and step three is simply reinforcement of good behaviour.