Gag Me With a Leash

A recent graduate (along with my one-year-old collie-husky mix, Safari) of "Adult Beginner" dog obedience class, I've learned a thing or two about dogs that I never knew before. The most striking - and seemingly most obvious - is their instinctual "opposition reflex." Dogs have a natural tendency to pull against any pressure applied to their throat/neck area. So don't be fooled! Your favorite leash-puller will not just figure out that you wan't him/her to heel if you keep pulling back on the leash. He/she will pull tirelessly instead. It's instinctual.

If you're using a regular collar and leash, try short tugs rather than steady pressure. Any time the dog slows down, make sure you shower him/her with praise - but ONLY when there's slack in the leash. Never praise while the dog is pulling or he/she will mistake that for the good behavior. Timing is everything.

You can also try the Gentle Leader head collar. (It comes in several sizes, according to dog weight, and works with any leash.) It's brilliant - both for you and the dog. Designed to place the pressure caused by resistance on the bridge of the nose, rather than the neck, it feels disorienting (not painful, hence the use of "gentle" in the name) enough to get them to slow down. Instead of hurting them or trying to overpower them, it merely throws them off. They learn very quickly not to pull - though you can probably expect a few paw swipes to their face as they might first try to get it off. It's important not to give attention at those times - no coddling (this will only reinforce that the Gentle Leader is a reason to be coddled) or turning around to look (i.e. no attention)! Better to ignore that kind of behavior. Keep your shoulders facing foward and continue walking. If he/she's resisting, pull your pup along with a few quick tugs so he/she is unable to keep clawing at it and follow your example in walking calmly forward. Always reward - BIG! - for good behavior.

The big claim the people at Gentle Leader make is that it enables children and the elderly to walk any size dog with control and comfort. After working its magic on both my 40-pound and my 90-pound dogs, I have to confess, I wouldn't think twice about leaving them in the hands of my ninety-year-old grandmother. Now there's an idea ... I am looking for a dog-walker....