Grantham pet expert Sara Barnes writes about loose lead walking
Teaching your dog to walk nicely on a lead will help you and your pet, writes Sara Barnes of Who Let Your Dogs Out?.
If you have a puppy or adult dog that pulls on the lead, you will know that even the smallest dog can cause you pain if they lunge then the aches and pains can be even worse. So, teaching your dog to walk nicely on a lead will save both you and your dog aches and pain.
As a professional dog walker, I encounter a large number of dogs who have a wide range of abilities when it comes to walking on the lead, and as a result I have a number of aches and pains (past and present) as a result of some of those that pull and lunge.
For us humans most of the injuries caused by a dog that pulls on the lead are related to falls, and aching joints. Think about tennis elbow, strains to you back (upper and lower) and sore knees and ankles. Most of these can be treated with pain killers, ice packs and rest. And physiotherapy for more serious cases.
For the dogs that pull or lunge on lead they are potentially causing injuries or storing up aches and pains for themselves as well. Some that are walked on a collar and pull may suffer from breathing problems and a collapsed trachea in old age. They can also damage their back from the pulling action, damage their thyroid gland and suffer from shoulder pain from the pulling. Many of these need a trip to the vet to identify the issue and ongoing treatment.
Having the right equipment and training can save both you and your dog pain now and in the future.
Some will argue that if your dog has good recall they don’t need to be able to walk nicely on lead, this is a falsely held belief if you want to be a responsible and respectful dog owner/walker as there will be times you need to have your dog on lead and under control to ensure the safety of them, you and other dogs and walkers.
When looking for guidance I would suggest finding a dog trainer that you feel gets you and the needs of your dog and its just a do it my way or the highway kind of person as loose lead walking is not a one size fits all solution.
