21/11/2023
𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬
My husband and I took the floppy eared dogs out for a walk today and it was a really nice example of how we use equipment as context clues for our dogs. They understand that there are different expectations of them depending on where and how they feel leash pressure.
Ripto, our almost 8 month old American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), currently gets walked on a harness. Harnesses are great for pulling, and we even encourage it in young, developing dogs! We want our puppies to just be puppies - we allow them to explore their surroundings so that they grow up to be confident adult dogs. So puppies get walked primarily on harnesses. This keeps the pressure distributed across their chest, rather than their neck - keeping them comfortable, but also allowing them to pull into leash pressure without muddying the waters for leash manners. Harnesses allow them to take potty breaks and go on outings without us having to focus on leash walking.
When we do a structured and intentional training session with young dogs, the leash goes on their collar, and we make sure to teach them the rules of leash pressure on their neck. In a training session, we are 100% focused on that puppy and what they are learning. We can be way more consistent with making leash pressure mean something than we can in real life scenarios.
As they grow and learn, we gradually start using the collar more to transition them to loose leash walking skills. We will still do “exercise walks” in a harness, where they can explore and burn some energy. But we also start incorporating shorter “training walks”, where the focus is not time or distance traveled, but on reinforcing the rules of the leash. Training walks may only be down a few driveways and back! We stay close to home. This way, if we start to lose the dog mentally, or an external stimulus out of our control makes for a difficult learning environment, we can easily end the session.
Eventually, exercise and training walks become the same thing, as the dog can now go long distances while still respecting the leash!
Róisín is 4 years old and able to walk nicely on a flat collar. She is not expected to stay in a focused heel position; I want my dogs to be able to enjoy their walk and not have to be “working”.
She can do as she pleases as long as she:
◾️Respects the leash. If she reaches the end of the leash and feels pressure, she should slow down and check in with me.
◾️Respects my space. She is not allowed to walk directly in front of me or cross behind me.
She can walk on either side, she can stop to sniff, and she can go ahead of me, as long as she follows those 2 rules.
Róisín was started the same way as Ripto and still understands the context of the harness, even though she doesn't wear it as often. When she runs on the slat mill or does weight pull, she wears her harness, because those are instances where it is ok and encouraged to lean into the pressure she is feeling.
Using a harness AND a collar, allows us to be inconsistent, as humans so often are. We can be knowingly and purposefully inconsistent, without creating conflict or confusion for our dogs. If I don't have time or don't feel like training, I can choose to walk my dog on a harness. But the second I clip a leash to their collar, I am intentionally and consciously choosing to enforce criteria and make sure that leash pressure 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 something.
If you need help teaching your dog leash manners, shoot us a text at (224) 769-5078! We'd love to help you actually 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 walking with your dog!
