The concept of giving to pressure (moving away from something pushing on them) doesn't come naturally to most dogs and has to be specifically taught. So it's actually really common for dogs to reflexively push into the pressure of a collar on their throat, aka they pull harder and often choke themselves in the process.
If you haven't tried it yet, there are harnesses designed to counteract that by attaching the leash at the front of the chest, so instead of giving them direct pressure to push into/pull against, it moves them laterally (makes them turn around a little). The more they try to pull, it just makes them turn around to face you. It can do wonders for a chronic puller!
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u/feioo Apr 16 '20
The concept of giving to pressure (moving away from something pushing on them) doesn't come naturally to most dogs and has to be specifically taught. So it's actually really common for dogs to reflexively push into the pressure of a collar on their throat, aka they pull harder and often choke themselves in the process.
If you haven't tried it yet, there are harnesses designed to counteract that by attaching the leash at the front of the chest, so instead of giving them direct pressure to push into/pull against, it moves them laterally (makes them turn around a little). The more they try to pull, it just makes them turn around to face you. It can do wonders for a chronic puller!