• Nadine Whittal, dog trainer writes:

One of the most common complaints dog trainers come across is that a dog handler’s dog is always pulling when they walk on lead. Teaching a dog to walk on lead politely is key to being able to have a comfortable and relaxed walking experience. Unfortunately, this is also something that takes time and patience to train properly.

Firstly, think about where you attach the lead on your dog. A lot of people will attach a lead to a dog’s harness rather than a collar. Now, just basic doggy mechanics; the further down the dog’s body you attach the lead, the more likely it is to pull. Consider Huskies that pull dog sledges in the snow. They are all attached to the sledge via a harness and the connect is quite low down on the dogs’ backs. This provides the dogs implicit permission to pull.

Also see: COLUMN: Walking your dogs

Further, dogs don’t know that pulling is wrong unless we teach them that. So how do you teach your dog to walk at heel? Well, providing your dog with a treat every time they appear on the left-hand side next to your leg is a good way to start. If you do this consistently, eventually the dog will learn to love the heel position because this gives them the treats.

You can also attempt the red-light, green-light method of lead work. This takes a lot of patience so choose a time during the day when you have the time to waste. Pick a goal that is reasonably close by. For example, today you might just want to walk from your front door to your car. Put the dog on the lead and start walking. If the lead goes tight because the dog has started pulling, simply stand still and refuse to move.

Don’t yell or get impatient, just stop walking. When the dog comes back to check on you, the lead will go loose and this is the green light for you to start walking again. If the lead goes tight, stop moving. Keep doing this until you reach your goal.

With some dogs, the red-light green-light method can take you 15 to 30 minutes to reach your destination, therefore you need to practise it when you have plenty of time available to do so. Getting upset or impatient with your dog would only be counter-productive so try to maintain your cool for any training exercise.