Lead Walking your Dog
If your dog pulls on lead, and walking isn’t as fun as it should, it might not be that fun for your dog
either. There are some simple strategies you can use to make it better for everyone.
The first thing I recommend is looking at your equipment – if your dog is pulling and all you have is a
collar around his neck, you risk damaging all the sensitive organs of the neck such as the trachea,
blood vessels to the eyes, nerves to the front limbs and thyroid gland. Think about switching to a
harness, particularly one that attaches the lead to the front of the chest. If fitted correctly a harness
can significantly increase the controllability of the dog. A good length lead, around 1.5 - 3m, allows
your dog more comfortable space.
Next you need to look at your walking speed and your intended destination. Dog walks are actually
all about the dog, his big chance to get out of the yard and enjoy the new smells and sights. The
smells are of paramount importance to your dog and he needs to be allowed to ‘smell the roses’
with that big nose. If your half hour outing only gets you to the end of the street, you will have a
happier dog than the one that drags you around the block. Give him time to learn to slow down and
smell, so pulling on lead means the human stops and waits. When the dog comes back to you, or
starts to sniff the ground, you can begin to mosey forward again. To encourage sniffing you can even
sprinkle some small pieces of food. Your dog will soon get the hang of it and your arm will also
benefit.
Sniffing has been proven to be very relaxing for dogs so it will encourage an over excited dog to calm
down. It is mentally stimulating for dogs as they get to interpret all the different smells. It is
enriching for them as they get to use that large portion of their brain that is dedicated to smell.
Despite common belief, dogs don’t need a huge amount of physical exercise. Free running in your
yard after the ball, or a good game of tug are great forms of exercise that can be used to wear your
dog out a little before his walk.
Bring the enjoyment back to walking your dog, slow it down and allow him to employ that amazing
nose.
Julie Evans