[Day 30] Leash training: How rituals help your dog to understand better
Basic obedience: Day 30 of 56
This video and training is part of the Grunge Obedience Concept, a structured programme to promote obedience and the bond between humans and dogs. The concept is carefully didactic and methodical to ensure that each exercise builds on the previous one for maximum effectiveness. It is crucial that you carry out the training in the intended order to achieve the best possible results for your dog.
Leash training is one of the most important training goals that every dog person should strive for. However, instead of focussing exclusively on corrections and technique, rituals can be a great help in making your dog understand the various freedoms and boundaries. Rituals structure the day, help your dog to orientate itself more easily and make communication between you and your dog clearer and more precise. Over time, this will develop into an automatism that will make everyday life with your dog much easier.
Aim: Your dog learns the structures for better leash behaviour and communication through repetition.
Equipment: Collar, Harness, adjustable Leash
Location: Low-stimulus indoor environment, later outdoors
Duration: Regularly during the walk
The importance of rituals for leash training
Rituals are fixed, recurring routines that give your dog orientation and help him to learn in a context-dependent way. They create clear structures that your dog can understand, especially during lead training. Regular routines and clearly defined rituals make communication much easier for your dog and he knows better what is expected of him.
Ritual: Collar vs. Harness
A helpful ritual for leash training is the distinction between Collar and Harness. This method gives your dog a clear indication of what is currently required of him:
- Crockery = leisure mode and more free space
- Collar = orientation and smaller space
If you attach your dog to the Collar, the aim is for your dog to walk on a loose Leash. If you attach the Leash to the Harness, there is more freedom.
If your dog is only led on a Harness, use two separate fastening rings (e.g. fastening ring on the chest for the lead and fastening ring on the back for the free space) so that your dog notices a clear difference and can adopt the appropriate posture.
The dog notices the active change and can therefore understand and implement it better.
Ritual 2: Line selection
The length and type of Leash give your dog a clear indication of how much space he has. Three different types of lead help here:
- Short lead: This is suitable for walks in the city or in tight, controlled environments where you want to keep your dog close to you.
- Adjustable lead: For walks where your dog has a little more space, you can use a 3-way adjustable Leash. This allows you to flexibly adjust the amount of space.
- Drag line: For maximum freedom, e.g. on large meadows, the Long Leash is perfect. It gives your dog plenty of freedom of movement, but still allows you to maintain control.
ℹ Info
Avoid the pull-out leash during leash training, as the constant slight pull prevents the dog from internalising the loose Leash.
Ritual: "Go" & "Down"
Your dog's freedom does not always have to be signalled by the equipment alone.
We want to enable our dog to use small and large open spaces in different ways. The dog is able to learn that it can either run on the Leash in a small free space or in a large free space. So that this distinction cannot always be made by the equipmentCollar vs. Harness or the different Leashes), it makes sense to define signals for a small free space and a release, i.e. maximum freedom.
- "Ab" = maximum freedom
- "Go" = small release
Through the regularity and constant communication of "Go" and "Down", your dog will understand without any active training when he can enjoy freedom and when a smaller space is required.
The use of an adjustable Leash is particularly suitable for this ritual, as it allows you to combine signals and an action by making the Leash longer or shorter. This helps your dog to learn in a more sustainable way.
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Summary
Rituals are powerful tools for encouraging your dog to walk on a lead. They provide your dog with clear structures and create reliability in everyday life. By differentiating between Collar and Harness, using suitable Leashes and introducing clear signals such as "Go" and "Off", your dog will better understand what you want from him. With patience and consistency, you can make walks more relaxed and harmonious.
This video and training is part of the Grunge Obedience Concept, a structured programme to promote obedience and the bond between humans and dogs. The concept is carefully didactic and methodical to ensure that each exercise builds on the previous one for maximum effectiveness. It is crucial that you carry out the training in the intended order to achieve the best possible results for your dog.
The authors: Paulina & Lui
Paulina and Lui are the heart and soul behind Vitomalia [Dogstraining & Store]. Her journey in dog training began with the adoption of her first list dog, Vito. This experience sparked her deep interest in teaching other dog owners about dog behaviour and training. Initially this was just a hobby, but with the adoption of the American Pitbull Amalia, who had been relinquished several times due to severe behavioural problems, her passion developed into a true vocation. Amalia's particular behavioural challenges intensified her interest in dog training and behavioural therapy. This turning point led Paulina and Lui to leave their original career paths, undergo intensive further training and dedicate themselves fully to the subject of dog training. Their work with human-dog teams also revealed a gap in the dog market: there was a lack of safe, high-quality dog accessories specifically for medium-sized and large breeds.
From this realisation, Vitomalia [Dogstraining & Store] was born, a combination of their commitment to professional dog training and the need for quality dog accessories. Paulina and Lui bring their personal experience, extensive knowledge and passion for dogs to every product to help human-dog teams live together.