Stick for the lead puller

You can tell in an instant what the relationship between a dog and its owner is simply by looking at how each of them are connected with the lead.
 
I’ve seen people hauled along by their dogs, the rope wrapped several times around the owner’s fist, the dog straining so hard its eyes are popping out of its head.

The harder a dog pulls on a lead, the harder and more closed its mind is to training and to respecting its owner.

No matter what breed of dog, lead pulling is completely avoidable through good education. That’s why we started on Rousie from day one. I began by carrying a light stick to teach him to ‘come behind’ (Walk at my heels)
 
He can choose to walk in front of me — but that choice results in a light, unpleasant tap on the nose and the command, ‘come behind’.

It becomes his own choice — either to walk behind me — or to walk in front and be annoyed by the stick. I’ve never hurt or threatened Rousie with the stick.

Light willow sticks are ideal — (not like the big clunker I’ve used in the photo). Rousie can simply choose to walk into it as I swing it, or he can walk behind me. He soon worked out that it was more comfortable to walk behind.
 
We’ve got to the stage where he knows the ‘come behind’ command and needs neither lead nor stick. But in saying that, there are high excitement times, when there’s wallaby or sheep about, when we need to go back to basics.

Later on this ‘come behind’ command will be crucial in his next phase of working sheep.
 
Each time a dog pulls on the lead, I know that dog’s not with me psycologically.

You need to remember, the lead is not what you use to control your dog. You control your dog through connecting with its mind, using your voice and your body language.
 
So be present to how you hold your lead. Can you hold it lightly … is it loose?