Dog trainer shares one thing you must do to stop pet from pulling lead

A dog trainer has shared the ‘only tip you need' to stop your pet from pulling on the lead – and owners say it's a ‘game changer'. Southend Dog Training has taken to social media to share his secret to controlling your pets on the streets and ensuring you both enjoy the outdoor exercise.

In his video, he said: “If your dog pulls on a lead, listen to this. Do this one thing and it'll change how your dog walks.

“Instead of pulling back, yanking or restraining, pull up.” He says this will help to slow the dog down whereas pulling the lead back only creates a desire to pull more.

He added: “When a dog is being training in bite work, it's often being pulled back creatingrestraint. To cause the dog to drive forward harder. We unintentionally apply this technique to dogs when we want them to stop pulling forward.

“We unintentionally frustrate the dog. Pull up on a short but relaxed lead and then relax and your dog will slow down.”

Adding to this, he discouraged owners against hyping their dogs up before a walk, saying it's better to make sure their pet is calm before heading out the front door. Commenting on his post, one user said: “My Springer Spaniel is terrible for pulling. I’ll try this tomorrow.”

Another user added: “I think my dog is broken I’ve pulled up since the day I got him. That lead is never relaxed. He waits nicely at the door and gate then thinks he has.” A third user said: ” I tried this, but makes no difference especially at the starts of walk when he’s super excited I feel like I’ve tried everything.”

One more user added: ” Teach your dog the ‘stop’ command. Ie flat collar and lead. Walk a few paces, when it pulls say STOP. And do exactly that. Then walk. Repeat. Walk.” A final user said: ” I’ve got a German shepherd puppy 1 year old. Every time I get his lead out he goes crazy making it difficult to put his lead on.”

It comes after a urged owners against giving into their pets when they make ‘complaining' sounds. A dog trainer from K9 University Dog Training has taken to TikTok to share some essential tips for pet owners, advising them to resist responding to their dogs' certain sounds.

In a video, the dog trainer explains “three different sounds your dogs make, what they mean and how you should respond”. The first piece of advice is to not give in when a dog makes a ‘complaining' noise, often accompanied by pawing or scratching. The trainer warns: “This behaviour should never be rewarded by letting them have what they want otherwise it'll exacerbate the issue.”

When it comes to a dog's whining or crying, which might prompt an owner to offer comfort, the trainer suggests the opposite approach. He clarifies: “This is a sign that your dog is anxious or stressed. There are two different sides to this – there's a whine that's self-soothing and there's a whine that can escalate into a bigger reaction like barking or lunging.”

The final sound to be aware of is howling, which the trainer says is usually a sign of separation anxiety: “They're lonely and trying to find the rest of their pack.”