MY DOG PULLS: WHAT DO I DO?

By Turid Rugaas

Easy to follow instructions that teach you a kind and effective method for encouraging dogs to walk on leash without pulling. Quick and easy to learn, the method can be applied to any dog no matter what size, breed or age. Dogs that are easily distracted, or that encounter situations where they may lunge, bark, or give aggressive displays can be helped to walk calmly and quietly on a loose leash.

My Dog Pulls explains:
• Why dogs develop pulling problems.
• Simple steps to retraining even a vigorous puller.
• How to rehabilitate the puller with clear, helpful paragraphs.
• Correct use of leashes, collars and harnesses. What works, what doesn’t.
• Troubleshooting problems that arise during training.

Click here to view an excerpt.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dogwise Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2005
• ISBN: 9781617810039

Turid Rugaas

Turid Rugaas lives in Geithus, Norway and is also the author of My Dog Pulls What Do I Do? and the DVD counterpart to this book, Calming Signals: What Your Dog Tells You. She has studied canine social behavior for over 30 years and written and lectured on the subject throughout the world.

Book preview

title

My Dog Pulls. What Do I Do?

Turid Rugaas

Dogwise Publishing

A Division of Direct Book Service, Inc.

PO Box 2778

701B Poplar

Wenatchee, Washington 98807

1-509-663-9115, 1-800-776-2665

website: www.dogwisepublishing.com

email: [e-mail]

©2005 Turid Rugaas

Originally published in Norway under the title Hva gjor nar hnunden drar I bandet?

U.K. Editor Sheila Harper

Photos by Turid Rugaas, Kirsten Berger, Gerd Kohler and Sheila Harper

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, digital or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

Limits of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty:

The author and publisher shall not be liable in the event of incidental or consequential damages in connection with, or arising out of, the furnishing, performance, or use of the instructions and suggestions contained in this book.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request from the Library of Congress.

ISBN: 1-929242-23-9

Printed in the U.S.A.

Contents

Preface

How it all began…

The Basic Method

Working Manual

Why do dogs pull on leash?

Troubleshooting

Equipment to use

Equipment to be avoided, and why

Puppies

Teaching the adult and the older dog

Using the technique in class

Using the technique in everyday life

When you should NOT use this technique

Why negatives should not be used

Learning by association

Reminders

Summary

Endorsements

Afterthoughts

About the author

Bibliography

By the same author

Preface

Sometimes I admire people.

I had a pupil and her dog coming toward me in a very unusual way some winters ago. Down the hill at full speed came the owner, sitting on the ground, legs stretched out in front of her, holding on to the leash of a very happy Bernese Mountain Dog. He had a smile all over his face and was galloping towards me very quickly, ears flapping and zest for life written all over him.

The owner was not quite so happy and was relieved when the dog stopped. She had had absolutely no chance of standing on her feet on the icy road, and so they made this spectacular entrance.

I like to help such great people and their dogs to be able to cope with whatever they encounter, and that is why I love the method I finally decided upon for walking with a dog on a slack leash. It really is a great tool for helping people to control the situation in a nice way.

From the Publisher

Norwegian dog trainer and behaviorist, Turid Rugaas, has enlightened and delighted dog owners and trainers worldwide with her research and insights into canine behavior and body language. With her flowing silver hair and Scandanavian simplicity, she persuades her audiences to view inter and intra-species communication in new and sympathetic ways.

Special thanks for editing the English language version of her work goes to Turid’s British editor, Sheila Harper, who preserved Turid’s voice and writing style while making the information accessible to the reader.

How it all began…

Over the years I have asked the pupils coming to my classes what they wanted to teach their dogs. The answer that topped the list was to walk nicely on leash.

Next on the list were to stop jumping on people, to come when called, followed