How to Stop Your Dog Pulling on the Lead

Common, and not a sign anything has gone wrong. Most puppies pull the first few times a lead is attached because they have had no practice with one yet. Short, structured sessions from eight weeks build the habit early, before pulling becomes the default.

It depends on the dog and how long pulling has been the pattern. Some owners see a real difference within a couple of weeks of consistent stop, start, change direction. A dog with months or years of practice pulling usually takes longer to unlearn it.

No. It makes pulling less rewarding and easier to manage while you teach the actual skill, and the harness alone will not teach your dog to walk calmly beside you.

Find your threshold distance, which is the distance at which your dog first notices another dog but does not yet react. It might be thirty metres, it might be ten. Hold there and work with stop, start, change direction. Do not move closer until your dog shows no reaction at the current distance.

A dog at a seven or eight on the energy scale cannot access the part of the brain that processes food reward, which is why treats at that moment tend to get ignored.

There are four levels and the current prices are all on the puppy school booking page, along with exactly what each one includes.

The four weeks of class are identical at every level. What you are choosing between is how much one to one time you get in your own home, how long you keep the online course, and how directly you can reach us afterwards. Most families land on the second level, which is where a session at home and the full course access switch on.

Yes. On puppy school, home sessions start from the second level up. On the seventeen to thirty two week and thirty two weeks and over programs, a session at your address is included at every level. A trainer comes to your address and works on your setup, your routine and the behaviour that is actually happening where you live, which is almost never the same as what happens in a training room.

We cover Sydney within roughly a forty five minute drive of the Harbour Bridge. That takes in the eastern suburbs, inner west, lower and upper north shore, northern beaches and south Sydney. Only the group class brings you to a venue.

Yes, and we would rather you did. The meet and greet is fifteen minutes, free, and there is nothing to sign at the end of it.

Bring the questions you feel silly asking. Most of what people are worried about at eight weeks is completely normal and takes about ninety seconds to answer, and knowing that before you spend anything is worth more to us than a booking made by someone who is not sure.

Yes. The entry level is the four weeks of class with community support and Public-level Ask Luke. It does not include the online course, and plenty of people start there.

Worth knowing what you are trading off. Class is one hour a week in a room. Everything that actually goes wrong happens at your front door, in your hallway and on your street, and that is what the session at home is for. If budget is the reason, start where you can and step up later rather than not starting.

Some owners want support through our online video tutorial platform. There is a range of courses in there covering:

• Solve Reactivity and Aggression
• Master The Walk
• Quit Jumping Up
• Stop Separation Anxiety
• Biting, Nipping and Chewing
• Will Not Come Or Listen
• Excessive Barking Be Gone
• Fearful or Hyperactive Dogs
• Toilet Training Troubles
• New Puppy Nightmares

Developing a well behaved dog has 2 parts: dog psychology & dog training. We focus first on understanding your dog and getting them to choose to follow and listen to us. When dogs aren't making all the decisions, they calm down and relax, making them far more receptive to training. To do this, we don’t need to use force, fear or aggression. In fact the opposite. Whether dealing with barking, leash pulling, jumping, or aggression, these behaviours typically stem from dogs being too excited, reactive, and emotional. The key is getting them to turn to you and listen when it matters. Once they're calm and looking to you for guidance, you can effectively show them how to behave.
In short: before you train the dog, you need to win their mind.