PetLifeRadio.com - Episode 39 TRAINING SESSION #10 -- "Teaching Good Leash Manners" -- Walk With Me -- I am Not a Sled!

Many of you are probably experiencing the problem of your puppy or pulling on leash. As with most behavior problems, this does not simply go away with age. In fact, the older and larger your puppy gets, the worse it can become. To allow your puppy or dog to pull actually tells your him that pulling is acceptable because the more you reward a behavior, even ones you do not like, the stronger the behavior becomes. Many owners inadvertently teach their dogs the fine art of mushing by yanking and pulling them back while continuing to walk. Instead of teaching them not to pull, you teach them to pull harder. When a dog pulls forward and you pull back and continue to walk, the dog’s reaction is to pull forward again, only harder. He is being inadvertently rewarded since the walk continues; he gets to sniff and his obedient owner (you) follows behind him.