WHO IS WALKING 'WHO'?

One of the issues that I see dog owners consistently struggle with as they attempt to walk their pals is that the dog is actually walking them. Or pulling them down the street despite desperate attempts to slow the animal down. In many cases their best friend is oblivious to any effort to rein them in. An improper collar can often be the culprit. And of course, a lack of training. In many cases, an owner pulling for all their worth can actually encourage Fido to pull even harder against the resistance.

A standard flat collar is basically useless in this scenario, especially with large, high energy dogs. I'm amazed at how many people still use them to no effect. There are several new choices on the market which could help. A Martingale-style collar, which applies gentle pressure on a dog's neck when they pull, could be a good solution for small or medium size pups. A round, soft, nylon choker style collar placed as far forward as possible behind the ears and given a gentle, quick, sideways pull can wake up the brain when your dog ignores your request to walk beside you. A new generation collar which runs a round nylon portion over the dog's nose and creates downward pressure when they pull has shown to be very effective, as well. That motion has been put to good use in the horse world for many years.

I'm not a fan of metal prong collars but have seen them both used and abused in extreme cases. A bit too harsh in my mind but I know some folks will disagree with that statement. All of these collars should be used in a calm, humane manner. Patient repetition is the only way your dog will understand and learn that you're the leader on a walk, not them. They should be at your side, ready to respond to your direction, not four feet in front of you looking for more excitement. Be patient but firm and you both may learn to enjoy the walk.