Walk with Me

One of the most challenging lessons to teach Charlie has been loose leash walking, which means having him walk calmly next to me without pulling on his leash.   He knows most of the basic behavioral commands--how to sit, lay down, roll over, etc.  He's even learning how to close the door behind him when he enters the house! But loose leash walking is another story...it has been a real struggle.  A quick online search shows that apparently this is true for many dog owners.

Most instructors, including his kindergarten teachers, argue that the best way to teach a dog how to loose leash walk is to simply stop when the dog pulls and don't move until the leash slackens or the dog sits down. They also suggest changing directions the moment the dog pulls, which will teach him that he won't be able to go where he wants if he pulls.  This strategy sounds good in theory, but it didn't seem to work, at least not with Charlie.   When I tried using this technique, Charlie sat down when I stopped, but he just pulled again as soon as I moved forward.

Frustrated, we decided to take him to a course that focuses specifically on loose leash training.  It was a 5 week program taught by an instructor whose methodogly isn't much different from what was suggested by others, however, she worked directly with us, allowing us to work on specific issues we were having with Charlie.  Most of the training was all about ensuring we focused on getting Charlie's attention while walking by rewarding him with treats every time he kept pace with us.  The instructor also suggested we use a specific type of leash that will help prevent Charlie from pulling. It's called an Easy Walk Harness and it works really well.

I'm happy to report that Charlie's leash manner is improving....slowly, but surely.