Stop Your Dog from Pulling on the Leash

1 How to Stop Leash Pulling

Bolting is a strongly self-willed behavior; if an owner does not correct it, the dog may hurt itself or others.

Why dogs bolt:

First, many dogs now live in apartments and only get out when the owner is off work, so after a day cooped up they want to burn energy fast and charge ahead excitedly.

Second, if the owner normally walks the dog without a leash, the dog gets used to freedom, and suddenly wearing one feels unnatural, so it fights the restraint.

Training tips to fix bolting:

Before every outing, the dog jumps around excitedly when you clip the leash on, eager to go. Ignore it, wait until it calms, then leave.

Shorten the leash so you can stop the dog quickly when it surges.

On the walk, the owner must hold the leadership.

Stand still with the leash in your left hand, gently keeping the dog at your side; if it obeys for a while, praise or stroke it, and offer a treat.

Then step forward and give a light leash cue; if the dog follows, keep encouraging and treating. Repeat these two steps to deepen the lesson.

If the dog pulls the opposite way or lunges forward, stand still and hold the line to stop it, showing that this is not allowed.

Also, as we know, dogs are very curious and get drawn to novelty. When the dog is pulled toward something outside, bring its attention back to you.

Stop and give commands like ‘shake’ or ‘sit’ to refocus the dog on you.

If the dog completes the command, reward a small treat; this strengthens the memory that staying with you pays off.

Finally, owners, repeated training is what keeps a dog close on walks, so be patient.

This training also confirms your status as leader, making the dog more obedient and easier to train later.

Best of all, train the dog while young, and always clip the leash on for walks.