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Up For Paws Contributers – Pet Tales
By: Michelle Chan
Q: Dear Trainer,
my dog is an 8-month-old hyper border collie and I am unable to keep him under control. I have a child and I do my best to walk my dog Rex at least once a day for 40 minutes. However, whenever I walk Rex I am unable to enjoy myself as he pulls at the leash and sniffs at everything, and does not respond when I call him. It’s tiring and frustrating. How can I deal with his hyperenergy in the best way possible?
Thanks!
Serena Boo
Response:
Dear Serena,
Loose leash walking is something all dog owners want! It does however take some effort and patience to train. Fortunately, there are some really great training tools out there in the market to help make training loose leash walking much easier and give dog owners more control over their dogs while walking. I would highly recommend that you obtain a front clip harness for Rex! The brand that I suggest is the Freedom Harness.
With this harness you will be able to walk Rex nicely without much pulling and have more control over him (necessary if you also have a child with you!) I would go further to suggest that you reward Rex with a treat whenever he does walk nicely by your side, turns towards you or looks at you on his own accord. Such small acts of rewarding him will have big pay outs over time – you may find after a while that he will no longer need the help of the front clip harness to walk nicely by your side!
Rex is at an age where he is considered an adolescent. This is the time to accelerate training and socialization so that he grows up to be a friendly, attentive and well mannered dog! Signing up for a rewards based basic manners class and practising at home and outdoors will help you and Rex survive his adolescence! Good luck!
– Michelle Chan, Positive Reinforcement Dog Trainer
Michelle Chan is owner and head trainer of Pup Pup ‘N’ Away, a Singapore-based dog training school that believes in positive reinforcement training methods. Michelle is one of the pioneers of positive reinforcement dog training in Singapore, and is enrolled in the Academy of Dog Trainers, one of the most highly respected and advanced trainer programs in the world, under the tutelage of Jean Donaldson, one of the world’s top dog trainers. Michelle is also a committee member of the Humane Society (Singapore) and a member of the Dog Sports Committee of the Singapore Kennel Club after stepping down as Chairperson in 2013.
Michelle Chan can be contacted at mi@puppupnaway.com. Check out the Pup Pup ‘N’ Away Facebook page.
Michelle Chan, Positive Reinforcement Dog Trainer at PUP PUP & AWAY