Random lady at the park told me to stop yanking the leash when my dog pulls

She said I was just making him more excited and to just stand still like a tree instead. Tried it the next walk and he actually calmed down after like 30 seconds lol. Anyone else get random advice from strangers that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

mila_murphy2114d ago

The tree thing works but you gotta be careful with it. That random lady forgot to mention you should keep the leash loose while you stand there, not tight. If you stand like a tree with the leash all taut, the dog still feels that pressure and it can make them more frustrated. My trainer showed me the difference and it was night and day. Also have to wait till the dog gives you eye contact or sits before you start walking again, not just when they stop pulling. That's the part that really teaches them, otherwise they just learn the yanking stops for a few seconds and then starts again.

nora11014d ago

Oh man, YES big agree on the leash tension thing. I made that mistake at first too. My dog would stop pulling but I'd still be holding that leash like a rope in a tug of war, no wonder she'd start lunging again after like 2 seconds. Once I actually loosened my grip and let the leash hang loose while we stood there, she calmed down way faster. Also the eye contact thing is huge. For my pup, I wait till she looks at me or sits and then I mark it with a "yes" and start walking. Now she automatically checks in with me when she feels that tension on the leash. It's like a lightbulb moment fr.

claire_hart5314d ago

Three weeks into using the tree method and I realized I was holding my breath the whole time. Had to actually practice breathing while my dog was staring me down, felt ridiculous but it worked. Also started counting to ten in my head before moving again, made a huge difference. Now my dog sits and looks at me within like three seconds of feeling that leash tighten. How long did it take your pup to really get the eye contact thing down?