After receiving a message I thought it was worth making a second note about pulling. While I like the "be a tree" method to teach loose-leash walking and use it with my own dogs, it is not practical for every dog and owner. There are many ways to teach the same behavior and what works for some dogs may not work with others or may not even be possible with others.
The message I received mentioned the method of turning and walking the opposite direction when the dog pulls ahead. This is a valuable method and does work well for most dogs. I do suggest this method for dogs who simply refuse to
let up even after several minutes of "being a tree," and especially for
dogs who overpower their handlers. If you can't stand your ground or it
is very difficult to do so then trying to stand there isn't a good
option, and the turning method is a great one. I prefer "be a tree" when
possible because the dog is the one making the choice. I believe that
when dogs choose and find that their own choices can be very rewarding,
the desired behavior will be much stronger and more reliable than if you
always have to ask for it. This is why I prefer "be a tree" to turning. I really like to let the dog be rewarded for
choosing to do something, rather than asking the dog. Again, the turning method does work well for many dogs and it is a great method if the handler can't physically hold the dog back or if the dog is not letting up. I don't expect someone to stand still for 15 minutes until their dog finally looks back. While no dog will pull forever, you'd have a really sore arm and it isn't worth waiting that long. Turning would be more practical and effective.
I also want to mention that "be a tree" is being used in context of loose-leash walking here (though it has other useful applications as well). Not every behavior is best taught by waiting for the dog to perform it but loose-leash walking is one that I like to let the dog figure out.
There are many ways to do the same thing, and different dogs and owners will work best with different methods.
I also want to mention that "be a tree" is being used in context of loose-leash walking here (though it has other useful applications as well). Not every behavior is best taught by waiting for the dog to perform it but loose-leash walking is one that I like to let the dog figure out.
There are many ways to do the same thing, and different dogs and owners will work best with different methods.
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