When going walkies, you can often see dogs pulling on the lead and dictating the direction and pace to their owner. At times it almost seems as if the animal is in control of the human, which of course is a big problem.
In the following, we explain why dogs pull on their lead when walking and what affected owners can do about it.
If your dog is pulling on the lead and you are finding it difficult to control it while walking, there could be a number of reasons. It is possible that you are not consistent enough in dealing with your four-legged friend and that you do not make sure that it obeys your rules.
Perhaps your dog does not get enough rest or it is not busy enough or lacks set structures in everyday life. This, too, can lead to the fact that the lead control of your four-legged friend leaves a lot to be desired.
A dog pulling on the lead is in many cases a sure sign of a lack of boundaries and consistency in everyday life. If you let your four-legged friend make most decisions at home, it is inevitable that your dog will behave as it pleases when it goes for a walk as well.
If you do not want your dog to pull on the lead and be in charge, you generally have to show who is the boss and consistently set limits for your four-legged friend. Only in this way will it accept you as the leader of the pack and be guided by you.
This does of course not mean that you should constantly command your dog in a harsh way. However, set rules, which you consistently insist on observing, are an indispensable part of dog training and therefore also of great importance for keeping dogs on the lead.
Young dogs in particular often tend to overdo it and don't take enough time for important breaks. If you do not take countermeasures early on and perhaps even constantly overstimulate your four-legged friend, you will reinforce this behaviour further.
If you want to prevent this, it is advisable to encourage better behaviour from an early age and to calm the dog down if it is overexcited. Also make sure that your four-legged friend gets enough rest and sleep. In the case of a puppy, it may even be necessary for you to lie down with it at first.
At first glance, this may have little to do with your dog pulling on the lead. However, you can be pretty sure that an overtired animal will sooner or later also cause problems with lead control.
If your dog finds it generally difficult to relax, a food supplement with Shiimun Calm can be useful in addition to appropriate training. It is an easily digestible product that we have developed especially for stressed and restless dogs.
Shiimun Calm contains selected natural ingredients that can help your dog calm down more easily.
View Shiimun Calm in our shop.
Just like a lack of rest, a lack of exercise can also cause dogs to pull on their lead. With a few exceptions, most four-legged friends are simply not satisfied with just taking a leisurely walk with their owner.
If you neither physically nor mentally challenge your dog, it has no choice but to use its excess energy in other ways. In order to avoid associated problems, it is imperative that you ensure that you keep your dog busy with activities that are suitable for its age and breed.
If there is no set structure in your dog's everyday life, this can create uncertainty and show, among other things, by the animal pulling on its lead or other undesirable behaviour.
In order to prevent this, it is helpful to set regular daily routines and to stick to fixed times for meals and walks, for example. When you go for a walk, you should also plan fixed times in which targeted lead control or other training is on the agenda for a limited time. During the remaining walk, you can let your dog run around and play with it.
Walking on a lead is not in your dog's nature. Accordingly, your four-legged friend will need a while to get used to it. With patience and regular training, you will gradually stop your dog from pulling on the lead.
The following tips can help with that:
Whether your dog pulls on a lead or you want to teach it important basic commands - dog training is an important topic to which every owner must pay attention.
In order to provide the necessary motivation during training, small dog treats are of course indispensable. If you value healthy ingredients and good quality, you have come to the right place with dog treats from Bellfor.
Try for example our delicious soft snacks without grain. They are the perfect size to reward your dog between meals. They are also very easy to digest and give your four-legged friend an extra helping of animal proteins.
Get to know Bellfor Soft-Snacks.
As you can see, your dog pulling on its lead while walking can have a number of reasons. Patience and regular training are required to improve lead control.
The earlier you start, the easier it will be for you to get your dog used to the lead and the sooner the four-legged friend will stop pulling you behind them when you go for a walk.
