Breaking through walk distractions
Our dog pulls terribly when walking on a leash. We’ve rewarded, corrected, changed direction, stood like a tree and bought a half dozen types of collars. When we get out in the real world, our dog pulls toward trees, people and dogs. Is there any way we can get our dog to walk nicely on a leash?
Loose-leash walking is one of the most difficult skills to teach. This skill is challenging because the real world throws distractions in the dog’s path. Most owners throw up their arms in despair because they feel they cannot compete with these temptations.
Skills are best taught in a quiet place with minimal distractions. It allows the student to focus without disruption. Teaching loose leash walking to a dog on the street is like asking a young child to learn math during recess. The odds are not stacked in favour of success.
Most dogs literally cannot walk politely through their home, past a toy. Begin training in a quiet, calm location. Teach the skill first without the chaos of real life. Slowly, strategically add in distractions. Can the dog walk through the house, past food, past toys, past people who are cooing to them? If they cannot do this in the house, they cannot do it on the street.
Practice until you can walk through an obstacle course of distractions in the home. Then work in the yard or a quiet parking lot. Work toward the goal of walking through a plethora of temptations in the real world. Start easy and work your way up. Above all, be consistent.
Consistency raises concerns about exercise requirements. If a dog cannot be allowed to pull and is not ready to face real world distractions, exercise needs to be adjusted.
Alternative forms of exercise can be beneficial. Games of fetch in the yard can help dogs to maintain their fitness levels. Dog parks, used in moderation, can help other pets.
For those who cannot do either, use two collars. During exercise, use their regular collar or a no-pull device. During training, use a special, sacred collar that feels different to the dog.
Dedicate this collar for training purposes. Dogs learn that when this second collar or harness is worn, there is unwavering consistency. Consistency is critical for success. As training takes effect, transition all walks to this collar. Our dog hates having his heartworm prevention applied. I can only get the job done by fooling him. I show him his brush, that he loves. When he approaches, I grab his collar and apply the drops. This used to work, but recently it’s becoming less effective. How do I medicate him without the hassle?
Fooling a dog might seem like a quick fix. Long-term is can backfire. Dogs begin to mistrust positive offers. Owners find they need to be trickier in order to successfully fool the dog. Misdirection is like holding out a lollipop to a child while saying the shot won’t hurt. It may work today, but it destroys the trust needed for future shots.
Good things in the dog’s life also become tainted. The brush is no longer a happy sight, but a questionable one because it predicts heartworm drops.
Instead, teach the dog to enjoy having drops placed on their shoulders. A small water filled eye dropper works well to simulate the experience. A behavioural consultant well versed in creating positive associations should be able to coach your through proper technique rather quickly. Over the long-term, creating a positive association offers far better results without creating mistrust. Yvette Van Veen is an animal behaviour consultant and Canada’s 1st Tested and Certified PCT-A. Write her at advice@awesomedogs.ca.