Canine Expert Reveals How To "Curb" Your Dog From Pulling While Walking Him.

Online, March 30, 2011 (Newswire.com) - My neighbor was no different. He said, "Well, Mary, I've decided to get a dog. I found a pretty little Aussie that a rescue group has and by next week when you look out your window, you'll see us walking by."

Sure enough, a few days later, I looked out the window and saw a beautiful tri-color Australian Shepherd being walked on a leash. More accurately, she was pulling on a leash, and my friend Bill was holding on for dear life as he tried to keep up with this powerful, athletic dog.

I shook my head and went back to work. The next day, same time, same station, there went Bill, flying down the street at the end of the leash. And then, a few days later, I saw Bill walking with no dog. I went out to the street and asked him if his dog was okay. Sheepishly, he admitted the dog was fine. "She gets plenty of exercise in the back yard, but it's just a lot of trouble to walk her because she pulls so much."

Here's an easy fix for a dog who pulls on the leash-the general idea is if the dog pulls, you stop and wait a few seconds, then start again. If the dog pulls again, stop and wait. The behavioral concept here is Time Out. The reinforcer for the dog is walking, moving forward and getting access to sights and smells. By stopping, you send the message to the dog, "If you are going to pull, we aren't going anywhere."

The steps to this solution are:

1. When your dog starts to pull, stop.

2. Stand still. Don't move forward with the dog.

3. Wait. The dog will pull, but eventually she'll stop.

4. When she stops pulling, praise her and move forward. If she pulls again, repeat the procedure.

We did this with Bill's Aussie. In only about 5 trials, she was walking nicely by his side.

Note: When you walk your dog, you should have two kinds of walks, one where you tell the dog, "Let's go," (or in obedience, "heel") and the other type of walk which is basically a "free dog" condition. In the "free dog" condition, the dog should not be allowed to drag you, but you can let the dog sniff and explore new objects. Sometimes, even dogs need to take time to smell the roses.

Source: http://caninegoodcitizen.wordpress.com/

If you found this helpful, check out my pet tips blog for other helpful pet information. You can also go to my dog tips facebook page and "like" me there. If you didn't find this helpful... Well...that can just be our little secret. :)