“...don’t forget that your dog has four legs to organise...”

Do you struggle to get your dog to walk nicely on the lead? Often, it all comes down to balance, as Toni Shelbourne explains.

Walking to heel or loose lead walking doesn’t come naturally to dogs.

Being restrained on a lead, and asked to walk at a pace that is often incompatible to their own, means many dogs struggle, but that may not be the primary reason for serial pullers; many dogs pull simply because they cannot balance themselves.

This may be due to a dog’s inability to organise his body, a health condition like hip dysplasia that means he carries more weight on his forelegs, or a pattern set up by an opposing reaction to the handler pulling back.

Dogs who lack balance may also struggle with travelling in a car, find laminate flooring difficult to walk on, or avoid walking on different or uneven surfaces.

Handlers often add to this lack of balance by using equipment that may be uncomfortable or aversive, by giving heavy lead jerks, or making quick changes in direction; don’t forget that your dog has four legs to organise and may struggle to turn quickly and sharply like humans can.

If handlers lack balance themselves and pull back on the lead constantly it’s a recipe for disaster, and whatever equipment you try, and however many trainers you ask for help, you may find yourself still trying to perfect the art of loose lead walking.