Before expecting Duke to calmly walk beside you on lead, train him to be calm when you are putting his collar and leash on! Ask him to sit-stay while you are putting on his leash. If he does not stay, the walk is delayed until he does. Don't give in or he will learn that it's OK to be out of control. If Duke doesn't have a reliable sit-stay, then practice training him to sit-stay without the distraction of the prospect of a walk. If you do not know how to teach a reliable sit-stay, enroll in an obedience training class.
Most dogs learn very quickly that they must sit while the leash is being attached to the collar. They usually tremble with excitement, ready to explode into a frenzy as soon as this phase is accomplished. If your dog bolts toward the door, dragging you behind, then the situation is still out of control. Simply hold onto the leash, stand still and let your dog dance, ricochet and bounce around at the end of the leash. It may take 5 minutes or more, but he will soon realize that you are not going anywhere and will begin to calm down. When this happens, praise him for being good (a nice yummy treat at this point would be good!). After another minute or so, take your first step, but NOT towards the door. Instead, walk your dog around your house, garage or yard to give him a chance to practice his 'not-pulling' skills. Every time he pulls, lunges or strains on the leash, simply stand still again. When he calms down, talk to him, praise him calmly and quietly. Try to keep his attention on you instead of the door that leads to outside. When you feel that your dog is in control and he is walking nicely without pulling in your house or yard, then it is time to proceed to the great outdoors.
Every time your dog pulls on leash and you continue the walk, you are rewarding him for pulling and lunging. Every time your dog gets out of control it is essential that you instantly stop the walk, stand still and wait for him to calm down before continuing. It is a tremendous effort in patience at first but it will pay off if you persevere. You may only get to the end of the block or even your driveway on your first outing, but if you give in to your dog's demands, then he will continue to pull. You can speed up the process by asking him to sit- stay for about 5 to 10 seconds every time she begins to pull. Of course this will only work if your dog already has a reliable sit-stay.
Good luck! |