Many people, when they take the dog for a walk, let themselves be dragged by the animal instead of leading it properly. A dog that pulls or has to be pulled by force has not been trained to walk alongside its owner. By teaching your dog to walk alongside you, you can walk with him in peace. This is really worth doing and it pays to start when the dog is still a puppy. Anyone can train their dog to walk alongside them, you just need to know the right techniques, repeat the various training steps several times and have a lot of patience.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Learning the Principles of Training
Step 1. Find a quiet place to train your dog
It is important to limit possible distractions to a minimum, so that the animal focuses on you. The ideal place would be the backyard. If you don't have a yard, you can go to the park and put yourself in a quiet area, where few dogs pass. Proceeding with the training, you have to subject the dog to new sources of distraction, then take him to different places. This way he will learn to be by your side in any situation and place, not just in the backyard.
Step 2. Teach the dog to watch you
You can achieve the goal by associating a command (such as "Look at me!") With a reward. The dog will react to the sound command and wait to receive his reward. When the animal responds to the command with a certain continuity, you can start rewarding it only from time to time. Don't stop rewarding him completely.
Do not use the leash to physically move the dog. The leash is a safety tool, it is not used to communicate with the animal. When you are in a safe place, the ideal is to train the dog without a leash
Step 3. Choose a command to tell the dog that he is free to move as he pleases, such as "Rest! Rest
"," Okay! "," Free! ".
Part 2 of 3: Using Positive Reinforcement
Step 1. Teach your dog to get into the correct position
In many dog sports, the dog must be to the left of the owner. This is not strictly necessary when training your dog, which can be positioned either to the right or to the left. The important thing is to keep getting him always on the same side.
- The dog should walk beside you, with his head and shoulders in line with your hips.
- Do not stretch the leash to keep the dog in place. The leash should be loose, there should be no contact between you and the dog.
Step 2. Teach your dog to position himself correctly
"Here!" it is a good command to give to the dog to make him stand up. Stand up and give the command to the animal. If the dog is far away or seems confused about where to stand, pat yourself on the side and say "Here!". If necessary, lure the dog with a lure. Hold a treat in your hand to lure the dog to your left. As the training proceeds, simply move your hand, without using any treats: the simple gesture of the hand will play the role of bait.
Step 3. Attract the dog's attention
The key to getting your dog to stand next to you is to have their attention. Start by standing still, with the dog sitting by your side in the correct position. Grab his attention by calling him by name, patting him on the head, making noises or using a command, such as "Look at me!".
- When the dog looks up, pat yourself on the left hip and say "Here!". Keep in mind that yours is a command, not a simple request. The dog will learn to look at the indicated point and will know exactly where to stand as you walk.
- Create a positive environment and don't expect too much from your dog.
- Remember, the secret lies in getting the dog's attention. It could be difficult, but with a little work it is certainly possible. During training, you can also teach the dog to look at you by giving it simple commands, such as "Look at me!". Remember to reward your dog for obeying.
Step 4. When the dog is in position, take a step and, if the animal follows you, give him a reward
Then, take two steps, then three, then four, and so on.
Step 5. As your dog learns to stand beside you, introduce changes in speed and direction
Treat each walk as a training session
Step 6. Reward the dog for behaving correctly
As a reward, give him what he prefers (a treat, a caress, a toy, etc.). Usually, food is what the dog likes best. Reward him when he behaves correctly, avoid punishing him when he is wrong.
Part 3 of 3: Using Corrective Methods
Step 1. Correct the dog with caution
Many people train their dogs by rewarding them for behaving correctly. Using this approach, you need to be patient and persistent. Often, using corrective methods, training becomes faster, but you run the risk of breaking relationships with your dog, creating anxiety and confusion in the animal (which can lead to incorrect behavior).
Step 2. Consider the leash as an extension of your arm
Do not correct the dog unless it is necessary. Giving conflicting signals to the animal will complicate the learning process and will have a negative impact on training in general.
Keep the leash loose. This is tantamount to not continually correcting your dog, who will be more likely to obey you when you give a firm yank to correct him
Step 3. Stop praising your dog as soon as he disobeys your command
For example, if you order the dog to sit down and he obeys, praise him, but as soon as he gets up, stop doing it. If your dog does not sit up again within a few seconds, have him sit down and then praise him again.
Repeating the command more than once is not necessary. Forcing him to do it is much more effective. You can still decide to give the dog a second chance and see if he obeys
Step 4. Let the dog know that he shouldn't shoot
Many dogs try to outdo their owner. To make your dog understand that he must not pull, keep the leash taut, so that you can easily get in front of the animal and block its way. When the dog tries to overtake you, it quickly changes direction and puts you in its path. Turn around 90 degrees each time and keep walking. Quickly change direction, as if you were moving on a square.
If the dog is used to pulling, he will be surprised at this. Walk in a straight line until the animal tries to overtake you again and, at that point, changes direction. Train your dog every day for 5-15 minutes. Some animals learn after the first lesson, others take longer (depending on how they are used to going for a walk)
Step 5. Teach your dog not to be left behind
Generally, dogs that are used to being dragged are animals that are afraid, feel neglected or have been abused. Many dogs linger because they have smelled a particular smell or noticed something of interest to them. To get your dog used to not being dragged, have the leash hit your leg with every step.
- Hold the leash with your right hand and have the dog put on your left side. The leash will have to stay crosswise in front of your legs. This way, by stepping forward with your left leg, you will yank the leash, prompting the dog to join you. If that's not enough, you can shorten the leash by helping with the movement of your leg.
- Help yourself by using a command. Tell the dog "Here!" or "Come here!" patting yourself on the hip. As you do this, say his name. To catch his attention say "Hey!". When the dog comes to your side, praise him and keep the leash loose. He will likely start falling behind again and you will have to repeat the process.
Step 6. Put your thumb in your pocket to lock the leash and keep the dog at a comfortable distance
Stopping abruptly and changing direction while keeping the leash at the right tension will help you to direct the dog enormously. By using the thumb trick, you won't risk leaving the leash too loose, allowing the dog to roam freely while you are distracted.
Step 7. Use a thin collar
Thin collars are more punishing than wide ones, because the force of each tug is distributed over a smaller area.
Advice
- Try attaching the leash to your belt or wrapping it around your shoulder. This way you will have your hands free and you will not use the leash to direct the dog. The leash will simply help the animal understand where it should be.
- Always be patient when training your dog. Getting angry will do no good.
- Evaluate the strength and size of the dog in relation to your size. Does the dog pull continuously? Is it strong enough to drag you? Instead of using a choke collar, use a martingale collar or corrective dog harness, which you can buy online or at a pet store.
- Give your dog some freedom. Train him on walks, but also leave him free to sniff around from time to time.
