If you asked them, they would give you a very simple answer, because you do. It really comes down to anatomy and physiology, both human and canine. Just like with your wifi, it’s all about the connection. About 95% of the submissions, we get requesting training say that their dog pulling is their #1 issue. And about 75% of those people are using either a harness or flat collar when walking their dogs. See, that the coincidence.
Picture your dog in front of you, facing away. At the 12 o’clock position is where a lead is attached to a harness but in the middle of the back. For flat collars, chokers, prong collars etc, no matter where they are attached, they spin to the 12 o’clock position as soon as the dog walks in front of you. As soon as there is pressure on this mid-line the dog instinctively pulls against it. With the harness it allows the dog to “harness” all of their strength in the most favorable position to do so, straight away from the thing they are pulling against. The difference with a collar is that it is crushing their throat, so they are pulling as hard as they can directly away from it in an attempt to escape.
When dogs pull away, they look away right towards what you are trying to get them not to pull towards. Your intent maybe to get them to stop pulling and focus back on you, but what you are saying and the pressure on them due to the connection location of the lead is screaming “PUUUUUUULLLLL”. How do you expect a dog to walk on a loose leash beside you when the connection between you and the dog is on top of them?
Secondly, the more people feel that they do not have control of their dogs the more likely they are to wrap the lead around their hand or bunch it up in their fist. It is almost impossible to bend your arm without making a fist first. No matter where the lead is connected to your dog, as soon as you bend your arm in reaction to any tension on the lead you are choking them and yelling at them to pull away and look away.
Dogs communicate with eye contact, movement, and touch…. not tension. The Immediate Correction Lead that comes with every In-Home Love & Leadership Appointment ($30) value allows you to walk ANY dog right next to you on a loose leash using only one finger. You will see these orange leads in all our training pictures as well as all over York County. Consider scheduling an appointment today and stop struggling with your dog.