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Originally Posted by LittleJade39  I use a retractable leash for Gizmo bc he was doing the same thing. Its not AS bad but now he just has further to go and if you're not walking fast enough he starts to pull and hop like a little rabbit! He will also bite on the leash and pull it to make me go if I stop and he did that until it snapped right off one day and off he went! At least I was in front of my house so I went to my car and told him we were going for a ride so he ran back and jumped right in! Now I have to find a leash to attach to the retractable leash that he can't bite through! |
Honestly - I find the retractable leashes to be nothin' but trouble. The only time I use one is in my backyard for walking (we live on 3 acres, not fenced) so it gives him a bit more freedom when he's not loose. It's a nice thing to have but
not for regular walking, or in stores, etc. I'll use it for him on a beach too. Generally speaking, they make things worse... it teaches them that pulling harder gives them more freedom.
I want to highly recommend a Premier Easy Walk harness (Chattiesmom also makes the Walk Nice harness here on YT) where the D-ring is on the front (chest) of the harness, and it kind of re-directs them back towards you and stop the pulling. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but I do think it's a worth a try. Jackson was never a
terrible puller but he did pull... the first day he wore the Easy Walk, all pulling stopped right away. He's learned to always walk beside me even with a regular harness now. Of course, sometimes I give him some slack and let him sniff, etc, but he's very very calm on the leash most of the time and once in a blue moon will pull. Also, sometimes a harness (even though better for their necks) brings out the sled-dog in dogs and encourages them to pull more because of the position it's in (on their back). That's why I like the Premier one but you can find other training no-pull harnesses as well.
Besides the harness, just get a short (4 or 6 foot nylon leash) and keep it up real tight. Don't give them any room to walk in front of you while in training. Even if they're pulling, continue holding the leash as short as it can be to where he's walking right beside you. There's another game people can play with may make you look a bit ridiculous but when you have him on the leash... suddenly go left, then quickly turn right, then backwards, then forwards, then start running, just look like a total fool and act crazy and it should make him want to follow you... he'll be looking at you like, "what are you doing?!" It almost entices him to follow you in a way.