One of the things I hear and read repeatedly is how to appropriately execute a "leash pulse" to alert your dog that you need its attention. Let's say the dog surges ahead or charges off to the side for a sniff thereby breaking a heel. A quick leash pulse says "Hey Pup! Pay attention. I need you to get back in position." To see a good explanation, click here and click on the topic down "Squeeze/Pulse."
When I do it correctly—when she surges ahead—Bella falls in line beautifully. Unfortunately, what I find myself doing too frequently is pulling. This happens when she leaps off to the side to smell, grab, eat, something. I end up reactively pulling her back. What happens when you pull? A dog reflexively pulls in the opposing direction. Iditarod, anyone?
Why are sled dogs so effective? They are pulling against a weight—the sled and rider. Reflexive reaction. With our last dog, the (wonderful, but problematic) Lucy, I bought a Springer with which to give her ample exercise via biking. Big mistake! It worked beautifully, but somewhere in Lucy's 'when I grow up I want to be' psyche, she was a sled dog. I used the Springer once (note the 'once') with her, she ran me up a very, very steep hill at 18 miles an hour. (For you bikers out there, you know this is impressive.) I never used it again.
So pulling on the leash is counter-productive. Teaching the leash holder this fact, however, is as difficult as teaching the dog that walking by one's side is preferable to any other position. ...Or at least that is the case in this household!
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