Many people use walks to provide their dogs exercise and to promote calm, well-mannered behavior. But, with high-energy dogs that have poor leash-walking skills, this strategy can create a "Push me—Pull you" effect. If you are training your dog to have better leash manners, consider offering a rousing dose of high-energy exercise like tug, fetch, or even some running off-leash in a safe environment BEFORE you begin a loose-leash walking training session or training walk. Your dog will work off some excess energy and be better prepared to focus on the task at hand—learning how to walk politely with you!
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Casey Lomonaco lives in upstate New York, where she offers editorial, writing, and behavior consulting services through her company Rewarding Behaviors Dog Training. When she is not working with or writing about dogs, she is knitting, reading, or hiking in a forest—with dogs.
