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Walking your dog can be one of the many pleasures of having a canine friend. However, when your dog pulls on the leash and creates a power struggle during your walks, this pleasant time can turn into something not so pleasant. Not to worry, there are ways you can stop your dog from continuing this annoying habit.

If your dog is pulling on the leash, the first thing you need to do is remind yourself that it takes two to pull. In other words, you are pulling just as much as your dog is pulling! You must change the way you think about the leash. A dog’s leash can be compared to the seat belt in a car. A seat belt is a safety device, just as a leash is used to keep your pet safe. You do not drive your car with the seat belt, and you should not attempt to “drive” your dog with the dog leash.

The next thing you need to do is to stop rewarding your dog’s habit of pulling on the leash by continuing to walk. As soon as your dog begins to put tension on the leash, you should stop moving immediately. Your dog is pulling on the leash because he wants to get somewhere quickly and if you continue to allow forward movement, you are simply rewarding his pulling behavior. This may be a frustrating solution at first because you will feel like you are doing more standing than walking, but your dog will quickly learn that putting tension on the leash does not equate to getting some place quickly. Your dog will make the connection that pulling on the leash means stopping and waiting.

When your dog pulls on the leash and you stop, your dog will inevitably turn and look at you to see what has happened. At this point, you should praise your dog for this attention and encourage your dog to return to a position that is next to you. You may even find it necessary to take a few steps backwards to entice your dog to follow you. Once the dog is in the correct position next to your leg, offer a reward such as food and praise or perhaps a much loved toy. If your dog returns to putting tension on the leash, stop again immediately and repeat the process. Again, this may be a frustrating repetition of steps when you are first attempting to break this habit, but your dog will quickly learn that pulling the leash does not equal movement; while walking in the correct position garners him praise and positive attention.

Consistency is key, so you must be resolute in breaking your dog’s leash pulling habit. Do not give up or give in and allow your dog to pull or you will simply undo any hard work you have done in attempt to break the leash pulling habit. If you find it hard to not break this habit for yourself, you can consider using a waist leash so you can go hands free.