"How do I stop my dog from pulling on the leash?" is a question I've heard from frustrated clients often and one of my suggestions is to buy a martingale collar (often referred to as a no-slip or combo collar) because when it is fitted properly there's better control than with a harness and a dog will be unable to slip out of his/her collar.
When I adopted Daisy in 2009 she was approximately nine months old and hadn't been leash trained so, believe me, I can relate to everyone who has had more than their share of problems walking their dog.
I started training her with the use of a standard harness (shown above in 2009 with her friend, Sophie) and when that didn't work I tested the Easy Walk Harness out and then went on to using a Gentle Leader but she still continued to pull so at the last resort I experimented with a martingale collar and now she walks beautifully except for the occasional times when she tries to pull towards a squirrel or cat!
Even though I've had success with martingale collars I know that they aren't the right fit for every breed so I recommend experimenting with a variety of walking "gear" until you find one that helps you enjoy your walks with your furry friend.
What does your dog wear on his/her walks? What works and doesn't work?
Every dog is different. I now use a top clip harness on Dex which is apparently the worst thing for pulling, but after over five years, we've found an agreeable walkie routine that rarely includes pulling, so all's well. But we work on leash skills all the time.
ReplyDeleteI've never been a fan of the gentle leader nose or chest clip harnesses. Glad you found something that works. A hound on a scent is a pulling machine.
Mango Momma
Hey.... Don't go giving me peep ideas...
ReplyDeleteChewy used to be a really bad puller, so bad that it looked like he was walking on his chest! The Gentle Leader solved that problem. I walked him with it for about 2 years, and then one day decided to try a standard harness to see how he would do and I'm happy to report that he walks great now, no more Gentle Leader!
ReplyDeleteAnother trigger I've noticed to him pulling is his excessive need to mark his territory. He had specific spots that he would consistently mark and when we were coming up on them during our walk he would start pulling to get at it. I nipped that in the bud by limiting his marking. Now, instead of every few minutes stopping to mark, I limit him to only certain spots, which has further improved our walks!