I have a year old blue heeler mix who is usually pretty good with walking, and she won’t pull, but she does walk at the very end of the leash so that it’s pulled tight, but she won’t be pulling exactly. I’ve tried everything I can find online- the stop and wait method, and the one where you turn and walk away, but she’s not exactly pulling. Any advice? Thanks.
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I think a lot of dogs enjoy having some tension in the leash because it allows them to “zone out” on the walk and enjoy sniffing around without focusing 100% on their owner. If the owner turns or slows down it is easier for the dog to immediately feel the change in the tight leash than it is for them to suddenly hit the end of a really loose leash which probably hurts their neck. In a way this makes sense because it is impossible for anyone, dog or human, to pay attention 100% of the time (think about day… Read more »
Work on a formal heel and reward for that specific behavior. Keep the leash short so she understands what you’re asking. In conjunction with this, I would stop dead every time she goes to the end of the lead. By continuing the walk, you’re rewarding the undesired behavior.
I am a BIG fan of tab leads for this.