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STOPS PULLING Challenge IntroductionPulling on the lead is a major problem for dog owners worldwide; whether you have a Pomeranian or a Pyrenean, a dog that pulls is no fun to walk and at worst can be a danger to itself and to society! With the help of our 'stop pulling four week plan' everyone can have a dog that is a pleasure to walk. Teaching your dog to walk on a loose lead will take time and patience but is well worth the effort, not only will it be more comfortable for you but it will also make walks more pleasurable for your dog. Dogs pull because it is a successful behaviour; quite simply they get to where they want to go more quickly. The first rule to teaching your dog to walk on a loose lead is not to punish him for pulling but to make it unsuccessful. When a dog pulls on the lead, the normal response from most owners is to tighten the lead and pull back against the dog engaging in a tug of war competition. Not only is this exhausting for the handler it is potentially dangerous for the dog. Often frustrated owners resort to hard 'checks' on the dog's delicate throat area. Some may even use choke chains or pinch collars to exert their authority over their pet. Unfortunately these extreme methods, whilst sometimes successful come at a price, it does not take a genius to work out that if you constantly subject the dog's throat to severe pressure and 'whiplash' style movements, injuries occur. Often these injuries remain undetected (your dog cannot tell you) and the dog may suffer for years, possibly developing other behaviour problems as a direct result. This programme has been developed to teach dogs to walk calmly beside their owners without experiencing pain or injury, enabling the owner to continue to develop a positive relationship whilst retaining control!
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