The Bossy Doberman and getting it not to pull
By Frida Carlton
Dog training is great fun, especially when I can go for backpacking across Australia and get free accommodation! All I have to do is train dogs so it works out great for everyone! I had a dog walker job recently of a Doberman that I trained to walk who was very bossy. He would always pull and not let me take control.
To stop this I, as a dog walker:
- Put myself in front of the dog at all times
- Had strong body language to show the dog I was the pack leader and not him
- Had a firm grip on the leash at all times
- Rewarded the dog everytime he obeyed a command and growled at him when he didn't
- Never let the dog take control. If he took charge too much I would stop and refuse to walk any further
A bossy dog that does not want to be walked isn't the easiest one to handle even for professional dog walkers but some simple steps like the ones above can go a long way to help. Try it out next time on your dog to see how far you can get in becoming a dog walker successfully and you will soon have a well trained dog!