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| Photo by Erin Koski |
Ready? Here's the trick: Wrap the leash around your dog's chest or waist, leaving the snap attached to the collar, and passing the handle end under the snap end. Done.
When your dog pulls, they will now tighten the leash around their own body. When they stop pulling, the pressure lets up instantly. If your dog is wearing a martingale collar, you can even pass the handle end of the leash through the martingale loop to hold everything in place a little better.
There are a lot of commercial products that basically use this little trick. The Instant Trainer leash and the Monster Walker both use exactly this, with the leash positioned behind the ribcage. The Harness Lead positions the leash further up, behind the front legs.
I used to use this on a lot of my daycare dogs at pick up time, when they were over-the-top excited to see their humans and often forgot their manners. It's ideal for handling short bursts of excitement, like walking from the car to the dog park, or the very beginning of a walk. Be aware that the leash usually wraps around the dog's sensitive abdomen, so it can be surprising and possibly even a little bit painful the first time they hit the end of the leash. Try it out when they aren't bouncing off the walls first, so they understand the concept.
Of course, like all anti-pull gadgets, your dog can eventually get used to the leash wrap if you let him. It works best for dogs that already know how to walk on a loose leash at least part of the time. For a chronic puller, the leash wraps presents an opportunity to reward him for walking nicely before he gets used to the feeling and starts to ignore it.
What's your favorite solution for dogs that pull on walks?
You can also make a halti type device with a simple leash. I did it constantly wit my dog rather then buy a halti.
ReplyDeleteHow did you do that?
DeleteThis is terrible advice. No leash should ever be placed around the abdomen at all as it could damage/rupture vital organs, such as the urinary bladder. However, the same method can be used with the leash acting as more of a harness with the leash portion along the underside of the dog may be placed behind the elbows to achieve the same thing.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very old and very common method of reducing pulling non leash. Can you provide any evidence that it has ever caused harm? A veterinary case study maybe? I've looked and haven't found so much as an anecdote yet, which is why I feel comfortable recommending it.
DeleteBe very careful with the waist line method. I was recommended this method to help my dog leash to stop pulling while walking and lunging at everything that moved. Unfortunately during our walk today he was barking and pulling despite this method and pulled the leash so tight he started crying and began peeing blood. I would not recommend for super easily excited dogs.
ReplyDeleteOh wow!! That’s scary!! Did you have him checked out? What was the diagnosis?!
ReplyDelete