As a certified dog trainer, one of the most common complaints I receive from dog owners is, “My dog pulls on its leash. How do I stop the pulling?” The root cause of leash pulling is usually due to a combination of factors. Many breeds, such as Basset Hounds, Bloodhounds, German Shorthair Pointers and Dachshunds are known for their powerful sense of smell, and this can often lead to dogs being distracted by smells they encounter on walks. Additionally, dogs walk faster than humans, so the anticipation of exploring the environment plus speed often leads to leash pulling.
Knowing the reason why a dog pulls on a leash is helpful, but it doesn’t necessarily help to resolve the problem. Each dog is unique, and each owner needs to take into consideration what will work best for his or her pet. Some dogs respond better to invasive methods, (electronic collars, prong collars, choke collars). Others do better with gentler techniques (ignoring bad behavior, rewarding good behavior) to achieve appropriate leash walking. Since my dog training philosophy is positive reinforcement, I choose not to use anything that can cause pain.
Let me tell you about Phineas. He’s a Black Lab/Great Dane mix, and I was hired to walk him for an hour every weekday. His owners walk him briefly in the morning but are unable to walk him twice a day so I take him in the afternoon. He’s a big boy, 130 pounds and he loves to chase squirrels. At the time I started working with him, I used a traditional collar and leash. I found that whenever he saw a squirrel, he went into stalking mode, fixed his eyes on the rodent and tore after it. No amount of recall, whistling, or treats would get his attention. It was as if he was in a trance. On one of our walks, he caught a squirrel. I had to ask for help from a passerby to distract Phineas so he would drop the dead rodent from his mouth. After two weeks of getting dragged across the ground still holding his leash when he darted after a squirrel, I decided it was time to try something different: a head halter.
A head halter is a training device specifically designed to give a dog owner full control of the dog’s head, much like a bridle works on a horse. It is made of collar material and comprised of two parts: a thin nose loop, and a thin strap. The nose loop is placed snugly around the snout of the dog and is adjustable to ensure a comfortable fit. The loop has a short extension under the chin onto which the leash is attached. The strap encircles the dog’s face, starting from under the chin, going up and behind the ears, and connecting at the top of the neck. The design of the head halter, when fitted correctly, allows the dog walker to control the dog’s head and where the head goes, the body follows.
A head halter is not a muzzle and should not be confused with one. When wearing a head halter, a dog can still eat, drink, bark, pant and yawn.
For those of you who use the traditional collar and leash to walk your dog: most likely when your dog gets ahead of you and pulls, the leash connection to the collar ends up at the top of your dog’s neck. Do you notice when you try to restrain your dog, he pulls harder the opposite way? This is due to the phenomenon called “opposition reflex,” an instinctual action when restricted by a leash. Sometimes, a dog’s anticipation of discovering something exciting can exceed its pain threshold and it may not realize any discomfort when pulling. However, extreme pulling can damage the trachea especially in smaller dog breeds, and cause gagging and coughing, among other problems. The head halter encompasses the dog’s face only; the neck is not involved in any way.
Back to Phineas…he didn’t mind wearing the head halter although he pawed at it occasionally, trying to get it off his snout. But, by frequently giving him treats as he wore it, he made the association between wearing the head halter and something good happening (he got treats). I started with taking Phineas on short walks so he could gradually get used to wearing the halter. Now, after 3 1/2 months, when I arrive at his house to walk him, he sits in front of me so that I can put it on him. The head halter has not stopped his desire to chase squirrels; he still goes into stalking mode, but because I have full control of his head, he’s not able to pull as hard, nor get as far as he used to. Even his owners notice he doesn’t pull as much anymore.
Finally, it is important to reward your dog when it is walking calmly on the leash. By providing treats and praise for good behavior, you will help your dog to associate walking calmly with receiving things he enjoys.
If you are having difficulty walking your dog on a loose leash, I would love the opportunity to show you that this can be achieved.