Anyone that has walked an unruly big dog knows the feeling. "If I stop paying attention for a second, I'll be bouncing around at the end of this leash like a cartoon character!" It's no fun, and it can truly be dangerous. But through leash training, you can gain control of your dog.
First things first. Determining the pack leader is even more important with a big dog, since they can overpower you. You don't want to get into a power struggle with your dog, so you need to teach him that you're in charge. This is something you should really practice even at home before you go for a walk. Try some of these suggestions:
- Eat first. The pack leader wouldn't let a lower dog eat before he did, so you shouldn't either. Finish your dinner, then feed him. And have him sit in front of the bowl before you fill it up. He will start to see that you control when he eats.
- Go through doorways, up stairs, and into elevators in front of the dog. Never let him lead. That will just reinforce that he's in charge. If he pushes past you, turn around and return to where you were, and try again.
- Never get into a situation where the dog is looking down at you (such as from the top of the stairs). This is a classic dominant position
Once you've worked on establishing yourself as the pack leader, you need to practice on the leash. Consider using a harness, as it will put less stress on the dogs' neck if you are forced to pull to restrain him. I also recommend using a 6' leather leash. Put knots in the leash about every foot. Then, hold the leash by the first or second lowest knot. This forces the dog to stay right near you, instead of getting ahead. From there, you can try one of the several leash training methods, such as stop-start, or keeping them guessing.
To read more about these methods, you can visit PeacefulPets [http://peacefulpets.wordpress.com].
Becca O'Malley is a pet lover, and writes for the blog [http://peacefulpets.wordpress.com]
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