“Why is my dog pulling on the leash?” If you’re reading this, you’ve probably typed it into your favorite search engine, and if you’ve been searching for a while, you’ve probably read a variety of different articles with varying or conflicting opinions such as “dogs pull because it is self reinforcing i.e. when they pull they move forward” or “dogs pull on the leash because they don’t respect the social hierarchy” or “dogs pull on the leash because they are stubborn”. But is there something more going on? In this article, I’ll look at leash pulling through the unique and nuanced lens of systems thinking in the hopes of providing you with some much needed clarity on this common yet frustrating dog behaviour.
So why is my dog pulling on the leash then?
Most leash pulling has absolutely nothing to do with leash pulling!
There, I said it! In my experience as a professional behaviour consultant and someone who embraces the nuance and the grey areas in between the commonly accepted categories or “buckets” in which tend to place a collection of symptoms, pulling on the leash frequently has little to do with pulling on the leash itself and is instead caused by a variety of more subtle Core problems that, when correctly identified, can be astonishingly easy to solve. This common “misdiagnosis” of the problem is why, after endless hours spent trying to solve this issue along with “all the best tools” and multiple classes and trainers later, so many dog owners like yourself continue to struggle with this behaviour.
8 less commonly considered "whys" for your dog's leash pulling
And now, without further ado, here are some of the less obvious reasons your dog may be pulling on the leash! Part I of this post will look at four of these perspectives, and Part II will look at the remaining four (which will be published shortly!).Please remember that every dog is an individual and that this is just a sampling of the deeper “whys” behind this behaviour issue, along with some very high level recommendations. The key to success is nuance and customization. Be sure to check out my Walk Wise leash clinic in Calgary, a program created to help you to permanently resolve this behaviour.
*Please be aware that before beginning any type of behaviour modification program, underlying pain or medical issues should always be ruled out with your veterinarian.
Overstimulation
The first question to ask is whether your dog is overstimulated, and if so, how would you know?
- Does your dog relax after a stroll, or are they even more frantic than before you brought them for a walk?
- Is your dog getting deep REM sleep, as seen by his body melting into the bed or floor, twitching, and not waking up when you get up, walk about, or when the environment changes?
- Is it possible to get your dog’s attention and focus on the walk without using food, physical coercion, or prompting?
Need support!
Moving on, is your dog pulling because they need help from you? I realize this seems contradictory, however it is part of our responsibility as guardians to offer care and support for our dogs. If these needs are not satisfied when they arise, dogs can become anxious or insecure and begin to assume these tasks for themselves, resulting in leash tugging and other undesirable behaviours.
How can you determine whether your dog needs your support?
- Do they frequently jump up on the side of your leg ?
- Do they try to hide behind you?
- Are they leading the way on the leash while looking back at you frequently?
- Do they constantly jump up on complete strangers?
If you responded “yes” to one or more of these questions, your dog needs your help and guidance. Real-time “see a need, meet a need” is necessary. What is your dog seeking from you? Do they need to be protected? Assurance? Safety? The better you become at detecting and addressing these needs, the more your dog will calm down and the pulling will begin to diminish.
Social struggles
Our next stop will be to investigate social struggles. On walks, does your dog struggle with past or present social challenges? Are they anticipating a conflict or competition? Your dog has its own social network, which is made up of all the humans, dogs, and other animals, such as cats, that they interact with, whether in close proximity or not. Your dog’s recurrent interactions with members of their social interaction create “feedback loops” that either intensify or reduce conflict, competitiveness, or cooperation. Their relationships with others, communication and trust, attachment, and so forth arise from these frequent interactions. If communication within this network breaks or escalating (amplifying) conflict or rivalry occurs, dogs will pull in an attempt to escape or resolve this conflict. This will be further amplified if they also Need Support. How can you tell if your dog has Social Struggles?
- Does your dog exhibit behaviour like lunging, forward posture, lunging, barking, or growling, either towards people or other dogs?
- Is your dog showing signs of tail tucking, ears down, or forward motion with a low body posture?
- Is your dog exhibiting behaviours such as a “macoroni shaped” body, low and quick bum wags, and continuously jumping up to get to your face (or the faces of others)
If you answered “yes” to any of the preceding questions, your dog is most likely experiencing Social Struggles, which must be addressed first or concurrently with the leash pulling. Teach your dog to avoid, not approach, potential causes of conflict or rivalry. Teach your dog a term like “safety” or “away” and use it as soon as your dog notices a trigger, long before they start pulling on the leash and at the earliest sign of any of the behaviours noted. Because Social Conflicts are subtle and complex, you may need to seek the assistance of a behavioural expert in your community.
Sensory-motor challenges
Sensory-Motor Challenges is our last destination in Part I of this article. Is your dog pulling on the leash due to proprioception, coordination, or other sensory-motor issues? The rationale for this is more complex than the scope of this page, but in brief, sensory motor development is a required prerequisite for higher level skills such as communication, social skills, and attention and focus (Williams, M., & Shellengerger, S. 1992). With this in mind, dogs with any sensory or sensory-motor deficiencies or “gaps” will pull on the leash, among other behaviours. Sensory-motor challenges are relatively simple to identify:
- Is your dog clumsy or otherwise uncoordinated (especially if they are adults)?
Does your dog have trouble walking up and down stairs, or on new or strange surfaces?
Is your dog having difficulty understanding their personal space, for example, being invasive in social greetings with humans, dogs, and so on? (consider the possible interconnection with Social Struggles)
If you answered yes to these questions and have completely ruled out any potential underlying medical or pain issues with your vet, it is highly likely that your dog has some sensory-motor limitations. Leash pulling will remain unresolved until these issues are addressed. In a recent case, the dog had been pulling on the leash for nearly 5 years. This was addressed in a matter of weeks with some targeted sensory-motor therapies performed nightly at home with this dog. FreeWork by Sarah Fisher of Animal Centred Education is an excellent place to start for any sensory-motor problems. This excellent tool has been developed over twenty-five years from a sensory and sensory-motor perspective.
conclusion
In conclusion, leash pulling is frequently rooted in concerns that are far deeper than what meets the eye, such as overstimulation, a lack of support, social struggles, and sensory-motor challenges. To successfully address your dog’s leash pulling, you must first determine why this behaviour is occurring, embrace the nuance, and avoid the temptation of jumping from problem to solution. Even the best training tools might have unexpected repercussions if they do not address the root cause! Part II of this article will cover the remaining four perspectives described in the infographic above. In the interim, don’t hesitate to inquire about available services and programs that might assist you in identifying the causes of this behaviour in your dog and starting on your path to addressing leash pulling once and for all!
works cited
Williams, M. & Shellengerger, S. (1992). An Introduction to How Does Your Engine Run? The Alert Program for Self-Regulation. Albuquerque, NM: Therapyworks.
