Hi there, Pibbles & Me readers!
My name is John and I’m a big dog owner (a Vizsla mix named Kya), outdoor enthusiast, and world traveler. I’m also the founder of EzyDog—a dog adventure gear company out of the US.
John with his Vizsla mix, Kya
Today, I want to talk about the less appealing quirk of many big dogs: pulling.
If you own a big dog, you’ve probably had one of those moments…you know the ones…where you’re walking your big dog through the park and suddenly, out of nowhere, something catches her eye. Her pupils dilate, her muscles tense for the spring, and you only have a split second to think oh dear before you feel that wrench in shoulder as she takes off in chase of a squirrel or a cat or a leaf blowing innocently in the wind.
When I think back on those moments, I imagine myself like a cartoon in slow motion, opening my mouth to shout a slow, long NOOOOOOOO before being dragged comically behind an extremely happy and focused dog who thinks she is a hunter (though she is so not).
Yeah. You know what I’m talking about.
We’ve all had our share of aching shoulders after those walks and when Brenda and Pibbles invited us to guest post over here, I thought that for big dog lovers, there’s no more appropriate topic. Which is why I’m going to share a few of the tactics that have worked well for me and the EzyDog team when we’ve taken on No Pull training (be it for dogs who bolt or dogs who constantly pull).
Hope they’re helpful!
1. Have some special training gear. Designate a certain harness or dog jacket or clicker (or combination of those things) for training time. Make sure your dog associates the harness (or other stuff) with Dad (or Mom)-Means-Business time.
We borrowed this tactic from service dog trainers, who often use dog vests/harnesses to indicate to the dog that it’s “work” time and take them off when the dog is free to frolic and enjoy some “play” time (or at least according to books we’ve read).
One of our team members in particular (though she has a small dog, so perhaps she can’t be trusted) uses this method religiously. When the harness is on, it’s work time. And her dog most definitely knows it.
2. Choose a short, strong leash that won’t pinch your hand.
The longer the leash, the less control you have, especially in a pulling situation. So for at least the first few months of training, keep it short and controlled. Get your dog used to walking directly beside you and walking properly.
3. Have a distraction on hand.
When your dog gets that look in her eye, you’ve got to snap her out of it before she bolts. We find that our different dogs respond to different things (treats pulled out of a pocket, a ball, a favorite toy), but that picking your dog’s favorite [fill in the blank] and using it to redirect her focus can help you avoid bolting behavior.
4. Be consistent.
Dogs don’t do well with context, so be consistent in your training and pick times and days when you will be able to focus on your dog and patiently work with her.
5. Get plenty of exercise.
If you burn off some of those Massive Energy Stores that dogs seem to have, it can help make your walks a lot calmer. Different dogs respond to different tactics, but we’ve found rowdy games of fetch in the backyard or trips to the dog park help our dogs burn off their energy. And, if we keep up with our walks every day, that helps too.
About John @ EzyDog
Hello John,
Nice to see you on Brenda’s place
I can imagine what you are talking about ~ Cartoon in slow motion
I haven’t had a biggy one but most of ‘em are like that, no? My one was impressed by cats and birdies.
I don’t own a woofie right now but I really believe these tips gonna help out folks with doggies for sure. I have my memories
Have a GREAT week, John and Brenda
Cheers…
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Thanks, Mayura! Cheers!
Great tips. I remember when we had our boxer and he saw a cat and I was walking him….I was actually dragged a bit then he stopped and stared at me after dragging me as if i was crazy.
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Ha – I think I know that look.
Nice to meet you, John. Good advice, here. I used to be a dog walker and some had no leash manners at all. Left me with arthritis in the fingers, from years of pulling and yanking. One harness I have found to be extremely useful is the Lupi. It’s a thin strap as opposed to a regular harness and stops dogs from pulling, much more that the standard ones do. Cheers!
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I hear that! The pulling thing is actually how EzyDog got started in the first place. I wanted to create a leash that wouldn’t pinch my hands or kill my fingers.
Great ideas! I did alot of research on pulling when I had bigger dogs, and yours are some fresh ideas I could have used back then!
Now I have a Cavalier, who tends to pull when we get into unfamiliar territory – not exactly a big dog, but still annoying! I’ll put some of these tactics to use!
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Even the little ones can definitely be a strain when they’re pullers!
Great ideas! Kya is a beautiful girl
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Thanks!
Thank you so much for featuring John! Imo, the above are all great tips! Titan was never really a big puller, however, walk him off his “training” collar, and he’s going to see how far he can go. When Titan and I first started training, we used a prong collar. Not that I wanted to, but he was very strong and not knowing his temperment background, I wanted full control. Our trainer showed me how to properly use it and I’ve been using it ever since. Matter of fact, when he see’s it, he knows he has to be on his best behavior versus using his nylon collar walking with his daddy.
Over all, never really had a big pulling issue. Titan walks very well with me and with a few trigger words, I think we are well under control.
Thanks again for featuring John! Very much appreciated!
My pleasure. Thank you for letting me feature!
Gizmo & I were lucky enough to be able to test out the EZYDOG chest harness and leash and it doesn’t just benefit large dogs…small dogs pull too and this equipment has worked really well for us
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So glad to hear it!
These are great tips. My daughters dog does this allot when she sees squirrels or other dogs. I like the idea of shorter leash because we don’t presently have one. Now I see all the mistakes I have been making with my pup now. She tends to lean in the direction she wants to go and that is my fault for allowing her to do that. In other words, she is walking me; instead of me walking her.
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I think we’ve all had our dogs walk us before.
Hello John,
As you described the scenario, I got a mental picture of myself going through the same thing and in cartoon slow motion like you say.
I’ve always wanted to get a clicker to try that and as far as consistency goes, I try to walk my dogs as much as I can but we have so many strays that they’re always pulling at their leash. Thank goodness I have a big yard where there is plenty of room to run around. I’m even thinking of creating a playground of sorts so they’ll have toys and such.
Thanks for sharing this tips.
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I love the idea of a playground for the dogs. And you’re welcome.
Hello John great tips my friend, I have a red noise pit and for the most par he walks ok when he’s out for a while. It’s when you first take him out he pulls a little.
Thanks so much for sharing.
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My pleasure.
Nice tips. I’ve had my hands nearly ripped off by huge pulling dogs plenty of times, thankfully not by my own dog though.
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Those are some mighty good tips for those big strong dogs. I find that obedience school of puppies is a huge help too. You have some good ideas.
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Definitely! Obedience school can be a huge help.
Great tips! I think the best tip for any problem is first make sure they get enough exercise! We can’t really expect them to behave when they’re so full of energy. I apply this philosophy to both my kids and my pets.
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Very true. A dog that hasn’t been walked in a few days is much more likely to sprint off into the distance.
Hi John,
Thanks for this post – these are excellent tips regardless of the size of the dog.
We use one of your EzyDog chest-plate harnesses and the Mutley leash – we love them both. Training and hard work have helped Bella stop pulling but your products certainly give me better control of her when she spies that errant leaf that still requires her attention.
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I’m so glad to hear that!