How To Get A Stubborn Dog On A Leash? Complete Guide

Hello dog lovers! Most of you get a puppy to find a trusted companion to make yourself feel happy by watching their crazy but adorable face and movement. Taking your dog on walks is necessary as a dog lover or a pet owner. Let’s find out how to get a stubborn dog on a leash easily.

You may already know leash training is essential behavioral practice for both dogs and their owners. A leash-trained dog is safer and more comfortable out for walks.

So, how to get a stubborn dog on a leash? Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix. Several tricks can help correct that behavior. So today, we will talk about how to get a stubborn dog to walk on a leash.

Let’s get started!

Why should we leash train a dog?

Why do you need specific training before you get a stubborn dog to walk on a leash and change this training as a behavioral transformation? Well, pulling can be a bad thing for your dog.

If you have a doggo at home, going to the vet is a must, or going for a walk is a must. So once you get a stubborn dog to walk on a leash, they try to pull a lot, then a problem will occur.

It is not suitable for his neck or throat, and sometimes it will start to choke, which is very unhealthy for your dog. So leash training is a must-do job. 

Imagine going on a walk with your dog, and he gets distracted by another dog and starts to run off.

This situation will lead to loads of problems such as him attacking the other dog and getting into an accident. Unfortunately, you would get injured in this kind of situation.

Why is my dog stubborn on a leash?

If your dog is generally an untrained dog for small commands such as sit, stand, etc., there’s a possibility of being stubborn on a leash.

Also, if you start to scold your dog when they are on the leash, an already stubborn dog will become more persistent on the leash.

And he will try to pull you and do whatever he thinks is necessary. Even if your dog is very well behaved, he can easily get distracted by the surroundings, which is a crucial point you should consider when training a stubborn dog on a leash.

Have you ever considered what the things they get distracted with are? Well, primarily, even a pin sound could excite your dog. A cat will excite him when it sees something moving like a squirrel.

And the main reason for them to get excited would be another dog. They will try to reach the other dog. Even a tiny slight smell can distract them, so they will try to sniff the surroundings and pull the leash.

Also, there could be another reason sometimes they would be lazy. Well, not moving is also some way to be stubborn, right? It could occur due to loads of reasons if the animal is ill if he has a problem with his limbs, or maybe you had made your dog lazy back when he was a puppy.

We should not let them control the leash as they want; therefore, you must be determined to change your dog’s attitude like a dog parent.

How to leash train a strong-willed dog?

Is this walking time with your dog a happy time for you? Why make it a stressed-out unenjoyable time for both of you? Let us give you tips to make it a pleasant time, and your stubborn, strong-willed dog will not give you a hard time on a leash.

If your dog is big and you should not let him feel that he can drag you in the first place, you should let him know that you are the boss. But keep in mind that scolding them and hitting them will make them more stubborn.

So what is the main thing we can use to make them train on the leash? Well, it is by giving treats. At the beginning of their training, keep loads of treats with you.

If your dog doesn’t respond to simple commands, you should first teach them these. Like small things such as sit, stand, come, lay and look. Well, in dog leash training the most crucial part is to look at my command where you try to divert their attention from their surroundings to you.

Take your dog to a comfortable and more familiar place to them. Such as your backyard or the garden, and put on a leash. In this whole exercise, you should concentrate on the tension on the leash. First, let your dog walk with the leash to where he wants to go.

Then once they are comfortable with the leash, you try walking according to your wish, not the dogs. Try giving some treats when doing this.

Then once they start to follow your lead, try to make them follow your commands, such as sitting and lying. Continuously give them treats.

Then again, when walking, try to provide them with the command “look at me.” When you are walking, take your index near your nose and give the order to look at me.

Well, keep doing this until he gives you full attention. And give him loads of treats. Try doing this for several days if you have a very stubborn dog on the leash.

The next thing is making him walk in peaceful surroundings but unfamiliar surroundings. Such as an uncrowded park where he gets to see loads of motion and where he gets different smells.

The next thing is to do the same as we did before. The only change is when he gets distracted, quickly give him the command ‘look at me and try to take his attention.

Also, you can try talking to the dog using his name and some other familiar terms for him. His attention will divert to small moving objects and smells in this situation. You should be aware of those. 

Next, ask your friend to take a dog. But this other dog must be well-trained. Take him to the same surroundings, do the same, and do not make your friend’s dog move.

Suddenly you will start filling tension on the leash because your dog will try to pull toward the other dog.

So keep the other dog away from your dog, make him walk, and continuously give him the command to look at me. And slowly take your dog towards the other dog and make him feel less curious.

Once you are aware that the dog is under control, try to make the other dog move and make your dog walk continuously. Give the command and look at me. Well, if these workouts are well, you are so successful. Do this for several days.

Well, then your dog is ready to go for a walk; but in the beginning, after the training, make sure to give him loads of treats, and first few days, do not make him so stressed with the leash; with time, make the walks longer.

And also, you should slowly reduce the number of treats he gets. You will be able to have a good walk with your willed solid dog once you leash train them properly.

Good luck on getting a stubborn dog to walk on a leash mission! Thank you for reading this post. Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner for more interesting posts.