I’m announcing our next free dog training webinar here in a second, but first I have a quick favor to ask. I’ve seen people struggle with teaching their dogs to walk nicely on leash for over a dozen years and I’d really like to help more people overcome this problem behavior with their dogs. I’m really close to wrapping up my long-awaited Walk with Me Dog Training Manual. I’m so excited to be able to release it soon. But first, I need your opinion. Can you help me out?
I’m very happy about being so close to finishing my complete training manual on how to teach your dog to walk next to you politely. I’ve been working on this for close to 6 years and finally with the coronavirus I’m going to wrap it up. I’ll be releasing it in May. This course will be entirely focused on teaching great leash walking skills to your dog. It’ll include printed manuals, video tutorials and live video sessions with me. It’ll be a complete brain dump on how to take your dog from the very first foundation skill all the way to being able to walk without pulling on the leash past people, dogs or food on the ground.
Before I finalize everything, I need your help. Before I send it off to the printer, I need to make sure that I have covered everything. That’s where you come in. Please take a few minutes to answer these two questions.
What are your two top problems when teaching your dog to walk nicely on leash?
1) Pulling constantly the entire time
2) Pulling when joggers or other people are walking by
3) Barking and lunging when dogs walk by
4) Pulling towards dogs barking in their yards
5) Pulling away from barking dogs
6) Pulling on leash when we go somewhere new
7) Being scared on a walk
8) Refusing to walk
9) Picking up sticks, pine cones and other items
10) Other: ___________
Share your top problems with us in the comments! To write a comment, scroll down to the ‘Submit a Comment’ box, write your comment, and press the ‘Submit Comment’ button! Thanks and I look forward to reading your comments soon!
Then join us for our free Leash Walking Q & A on Wednesday night at 8pm! I’ll reply to the common problems you all are having and we’ll get started on the first skill you can start teaching right there in your living room to see progress on your next walk. That’s Wednesday, April 29th at 8 pm. Set your alarm now. Then come to this page and click on this link.
You probably already have, but maybe discuss what to do when a dog is frightened on a walk. Because of a thunder fear, even if it clouds up, our dog just stops and won’t go in any direction but home or back to the car.
I hope you are doing well!
Great! Thank you for sharing that one. It’s a really common problem for dogs to be worried about thunder and I’ll make sure to include some options.
Pulling most of the time., so probably # 1
1 and 6 are my biggest ones. My dogs have their noses to the ground and want to get to the newest smell as quickly as possible.
I do have one dog that get stimulated by dogs barking in yards, but I feel so could work on that if I could teach the basic skill of walking off lead.
Winston’s top two problems from the list is #2 and #6.
I’ll make sure to include lots of training tips on those. I just announced the free Leash Walking Q & A for Wednesday night. I hope you can be there live!
Pulling and barking towards other dogs.
Walking multiple dogs at the same time.
Pulling towards a smell or food on the floor.
Yes, food on the floor is such a common one. I’ll make sure that I include lots of games for that.
1 and 6 are my biggest ones. My dogs have their noses to the ground and want to get to the newest smell as quickly as possible.
I do have one dog that get stimulated by dogs barking in yards, but I feel so could work on that if I could teach the basic skill of walking off lead. It
Prey drive when walking, towards cars and squirrels.
Yes! That’s a really common one as well! The training tip we’re getting started on during the free Q & A goes over a fun way to get past those taunting squirrels.
1 and 4
Pulling constantly just takes all the fun out of taking dogs anywhere. It’s simply not fun being jerked all over the place.
Luckily my worst puller is 15lbs so I just work around – it’s annoying but I haven’t trained it so that’s on me 🙂
Hey, if it’s not a problem for you then it’s not a problem! Your house, your rules! And in my opinion, everyone is worried about themselves and they’re not worried at all about your choices.
Same for me.
Barking and lunging. I have a sit in place as alternate behavior but stii, sometimes an issue
Yeah, that makes walking in busy environments really stressful.
6 and 3. I have given this years if consistent work nd never succeeded. I am interested
Yes, lots of methods do involve years of work with minimal progress which is so frustrating when you are doing all you can to see progress.
Number six and other-peeing on everything
Yes, how could I forget the need to pull towards that amazing tree in order to pee on it and leave some pee mail for the next dog.
Just trying to think of things not on your list…
How about wanting to stop and mark everything (tree, mailbox, sign, etc)
Yes, thank you!
Pulling to go after wildlife (rabbits, squirrels, coyotes, etc)
Walking nicely on leash may also mean the dog shouldn’t constantly zig zag in front of the handler or cut behind them to change sides.
What about etiquette/skills for pack walks [i.e. walking two or more dogs at the same time]?
Great! I’ll make sure to include that.
Dug- always pulls because he’s always sniffing unless asked to heel
Prime- pulls when people make eye contact or speak to him
Bright- pulls away when she is afraid of something
Marvel- pulls to bark at other dogs or to say hi to people
What your dogs pull towards tells a lot about their personalities.
Rainy constantly pulls the entire walk. If a person, dog, squirrel, or rabbit is seen, she lunges and pulls towards them. She doesn’t bark, and isn’t aggressive at all, but she is a larger dog and it can be intimidating to others walking by. The only way I can distract her is to run. The problem is, I’m not a runner! l
Yes, I know if I ended up running for long, I’d end up smashing my face falling down. I hope you’re more coordinated than I am at a run.
1, 6.
Mini poodle is distracted easily, too easily, when out of controlled training area. We walk the streets daily and everyday she gets excited over something new. She is 3. Her ring heel is heads up and poodle prance. She does not pull but forged and play bows in the neighborhood
Maggie turned 6 months today and is doing really well in leash walking. I am looking forward to the Q and A. Our biggest problem is being suddenly rushed by unaccompanied loose dogs. They just come out of nowhere.
3.
And squirrel!
1 &3
3 and 4!! Our biggest issue is dogs behind fences and dogs that stare or bark at him while they are walking past across the street.