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You are here: Home > TRAINING TIPS/INFO > Walking Your Dog
When your dog pulls on walks, the first thing you need to do is evaluate how bad it is. If he is just pulling you from the get go and you can't correct it, you need to exercise them first. (Biking, Running, Rollerblading, etc.) Just let them release that energy. I suggest this for Pit Bulls anyway, whether they walk good or not. They will love it, and you will too. Have fun with this, but be in control. Bring water (squirt bottle) and determine a half way point. Stop and give them water. Squirt it down their spine and on their head. Also, teach your dog to drink from the squirt bottle. Then continue on and finish the exercise.

When you arrive at home, go inside shut the door. Now is when your walk starts. Your dog should be very tired at this point. Relax your mind and think about a positive experience. Have your dog sit and you go out the door first, then the dog. This is an important step in starting the walk. This establishes your leadership. Always remember you are the pack leader and you need to be out front on the walk and there should be no tension on the leash (by the dog or you).

Start your walk. It is very important that you remain calm. If you catch yourself getting tense or frustrated, just stop and take some deep breaths and relax. Then continue. If your dog pulls, give them a leash correction, just a quick jerk. It is important that this correction is used as soon as there is tension on the leash. As soon as you give the correction, you need to relax again. Leash corrections only work when the collar is in the right place on the neck. It should be high on the neck, so you can control the dog's head.

If a leash correction does not work, stop and don't walk forward until there is no tension on the leash. Then begin again. Repeat this process as much as needed. You can turn and go the other way also. You might only make it a half a block, but this is a training process.

When you are walking your dog and see another dog, the first thing is not to get tense. Your dog will sense this and feel like something is wrong and become protective and possibly aggressive. Stay calm and don’t even pay the other dog any attention. If your dog becomes focused on the other dog, snap him out of it. Leash correction, or tap him on his rear leg with your foot (not a kick, just an attention getter). You are doing these corrections as a leader, not out of anger, frustration, or being abusive. The idea is to get their mind off of that dog. Some people like to stop and make their dog sit as the other dog passes by. This method is very hard to keep your dog from focusing on the other dog, and could affect the other dog's energy. I like to just stay focused, calm and assertive and project that to my dog and have him pay attention to me and just keep walking right on by the other dog, never stopping or even acknowledging the other dog.

Always remember to let your dog know when they are doing the correct thing, by praising them and or giving a treat. But do not get too excited as this will affect the dog's energy too. Make the walk a challenge also and have fun with it. I like to make them sit at stop signs and have them jump over puddles, whatever. Come up with something to make it challenging and fun. You can also add a back pack and have them carry water bottles. This is a job for them and dogs want a challenge and want to work.

The most important things are to remain calm and assertive, be consistent, patient and do not get frustrated. It takes time and the longer the dog has been doing this, the longer it might take to correct. But, it can happen, you must keep telling yourself that. Be positive!

Side note: Watch Cesar Millan's "Dog Whisperer", and use it as a learning tool. I always watch each episode at least twice. First time as entertainment and the Second time and every time after that as a learning tool. Soon you will be guessing how Cesar will address the situation and knowing why the dog is having a problem. Plus he uses A Pit Bull (Daddy) as a role model and is training another (Junior) to take his place.