3 Little-Known Ways to Stop A Dog Pulling On The Leash
by mylifewithpets | Last updated on October 26, 2021
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Are you sick and tired of being dragged by the leash behind your dog?
Do you wish there as an easier way to get your dog to stop pulling on the leash than having to train him?
Or maybe you’re in the process of training him but need a quicker solution while you do it?
Well, you’ve come to the right place.
We Needed a Solution For Our Dog’s Pulling Immediately!
When we adopted our first dog, we had no idea how to care for a dog, much less train him.
In hindsight, we probably should have chosen an easier dog, but Dobby was the one that was destined for us.
So there we were, with medium sized dog that was almost fully grown and had no notions of house training and had never been on a leash his entire life.
Also, being deeply traumatized, Dobby got scared by anything, so he hated being outside.
We were in deep trouble.
We’d fall or get injured by how much he pulled, he would get absolutely terrified and try his best to escape.
It’s a bit of a miracle how we all survived those first weeks.
When we realized how much we needed to learn in order to even begin training him, we knew we needed a quick fix, something that would make walking Dobby tolerable before we were able to train him properly.
Luckily we found three hacks that changed our lives.
3 Little-Known Ways to Stop A Dog from Pulling in Under 5 Minutes
Sounds too good to be true?
Well, it’s not,
It was what saved our lives and our sanity.
Three quick, simple, effective ways to get your dog to stop pulling on that leash immediately.
Ready for it? Here we go.
Tip 1 – Choose the Right Equipment and Use it Properly
A no-pull harness is something every dog should wear, regardless of his temperament.
But you’ve probably heard people complain that they just don’t work, right?
Well, we found that it’s as much about the harness as it is about the way you use it.
You need to attach the leash to the front of the harness, instead of the top.
This will cause your dog to feel restricted, whenever he’s trying to pull.
Immediately, you’ll notice him starting to walk alongside him, in order not to feel the leash on his legs.
Quick and easy, as promised!
While there are loads of no-pull harnesses available, we personally have our favorite.
We chose the Rabbitgoo No Pull Harness because it’s padded (very comfortable for the dog), sturdy, glows in the dark and has lots of stylish color options to pick from.
Tip 2 – Tire Your Dog Out Before Walking Him
Well, yes, technically this might take more than 5 minutes, if you want to tire a high energy dog.
But a lot can be achieved in just 5 minutes.
Make him chase the ball, maybe up a hill so he’ll get tired faster.
Unleash him in a fenced in area for him to get his zoomies on before walking.
Actually, this is a great tip for whatever you want your dog to do.
Training or anything that requires him to focus will go much better if you get him rid of his excess energy first.
Related: 10 Fun Ways to Tire Out Your Dog Without Walking Him
Tip 3 – Keep His Focus on You at All Times
It’s an old but effective trick. It requires holding whatever your dog loves the most.
Toys, treats a tennis ball, whatever it is, use it in your favor.
For our dogs, treats work the best.
We’d take a handful of small treats, place them in our hand, close it and walk with the hand in front of our dog’s face.
At first, we’d feed him every few steps. Then with time, the step gap between treats grew.
From the first moment we tried it, Dobby would not focus on anything else except us and our hand.
It works particularly well if you do it before feeding time, because he’ll focus on the treat even more!
Just make sure that you do give him the treats, otherwise he’ll give up eventually.
Also, make those treats as low calorie as possible or you’ll end up having to walk your dog even more to make sure he doesn’t become overweight!
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