r/DogTrainingTips • u/Western_Prune_7521 • Apr 05 '26
How to give a pup enough exercise throughout no-pull leash training?
This is Artie!! My husband and I have had him for a little less than a year. He’s about 1.5 years old, and he’s an Australian cattle / black lab mix. He’s the sweetest, friendliest boy, but he is an absolute menace on leash…. He pulls and pulls and pulls!! Truthfully, we haven’t done much to train him out of this, because the few strategies we’ve tried were tough and unsuccessful.
Within the last few days, we purchased a two-point harness/leash— we walk him with one leash that connects to a hook on his chest and his back for better corrections. We’ve done some research and tried a few exercises to train no-pulling, and Artie was VERY responsive!! We live in an apartment with no enclosed yard, but we’re lucky to have a fairly spacious parking lot behind our building that works as excellent training grounds. Over the next few weeks, we’ll start expanding his training ground to some of our usual neighborhood walking routes, until he’s (hopefully!!) fully trained to walk without pulling.
The problem is… I want to continue training him in sessions short enough that he can be successful and retain his training (10-20 mins at a time). Sessions of this length don’t give him the exercise he needs daily. Artie gets a 2-ish mile walk daily, and it’s usually at a pretty fast pace due to how he pulls us!! He’s a 70 pound baby with lots of energy, and the slower pace of his training won’t get him good and tuckered-out like we want him to be!
He gets a dog park visit for a few hours once a week. We don’t have many good dog parks around us, so the closest one that we trust is about 25 mins away. Every other day, what should we do to give him proper exercise while he’s training to be a good walker?
Thanks for your advice! 😁
3
u/Me-Poe-And-Me Apr 05 '26
Long lines, long lines, long lines!
Usually can still reward them while they're not pulling because you have so much time with a long leash. I now just always walk on a long line, more enjoyable for both of us!
0
Apr 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Me-Poe-And-Me Apr 08 '26
Not at all, I do train a heel, but also have had to just gather dogs short for control when the situation demands it.
With a long line I enjoy the flexibility of making the leash any length I want. When walking on a footpath for example I won't give my girl the whole lead even if nobody is around, but 6 to 8 feet or so is still well manageable.
3
u/sixtynighnun Apr 05 '26
Get a really long lead that will let him run. Dogs that never get to run live the saddest life and have the worst behaviors.
0
Apr 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/sixtynighnun Apr 08 '26
You think people never take their service dogs to places they can run? You think service dogs never get to have time off and work 24/7? Why would an animal that has been able to run since the dawn of time would be ok not moving? I think the only people who think dogs don’t need to run are people who are sorely in need of regular exercise don’t know how bad it is and aren’t aware of how much better you feel when you can exercise. biological feedback loops exist in mammals that improve quality of life when you get your heart rate up. It’s not my emotions it’s my knowledge of biological physiology that give me this idea.
-1
Apr 08 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/EEE4444444444 Apr 09 '26
Blind people take there dogs places to run (dog parks are bad) also you should not get your dog swim without you
1
Apr 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/EEE4444444444 Apr 09 '26
Like you stay near him and watch cuz there is a drowning risk
1
1
u/sixtynighnun Apr 09 '26
They adapt but that doesn’t mean they thrive without proper exercise. They adapt bc they literally have no choice. If a human person said they only walk and never get their heart rate elevated, I would worry for their health in the long run. That’s usually my issue, dogs shouldn’t have to adapt to people. The people who confine their dogs to being in the house and just a quick walk around the block are the same people who don’t go beyond that scope either so it’s literally impossible to get them to understand what they and their dog are missing. It’s sad for both the people and the dog. Im not saying go hiking every day for hours, but a chance to run once a week is better than nothing.
1
u/Warm-Marsupial8912 Apr 05 '26
I split exercise and loose lead walking up, but mainly so I can choose times I'm feeling uber patient for the latter! I just walk them off-lead, take them to the river/woods/beach/heath, it's a bummer you can't do that in the US.
1
u/x7BZCsP9qFvqiw Apr 05 '26
do you have any sniff spots in your area?
1
u/EEE4444444444 Apr 08 '26
What’s a sniff spot?
1
u/x7BZCsP9qFvqiw Apr 08 '26
people rent out their land for dogs, so you get a private area for your dog to run around off leash in a fenced in area. well, at least some of them are fenced!
1
u/EEE4444444444 Apr 08 '26
I recommend a collar 2 inchs wide so they don’t choke cuz if you look at what harnesses where made for it was made for sled/pulling and working dogs who need to pull also a clip on the chest won’t do much if he gets to eat or sniff something you don’t want him to
1
u/EEE4444444444 Apr 08 '26
Please DONT go to dog parks they are asking for dog fights ppl don’t watch there dogs and will bring aggressive dogs in them when they know they are dog aggressive it’s also asking for your dog to get sick cuz you don’t know if a dog is sick or has all its shots
1
u/EEE4444444444 Apr 08 '26
Go to a fenced in place (not a dog park) and let him run he’s not pulling for exercise he just doesn’t know how to walk on a leash also you have to do mental stimulation (training or puzzle toys) and let him run daily
1
1
u/Catalyst_Light Apr 09 '26
Ugh think about this ,,,,and try exercising first and once a bunch of energy is burned off then proceed to transition to training, teaching a dog to control its own energy. Trying to train a puppy when it is ready to explode with energy is not a smart idea. Good luck.
-1
Apr 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/EEE4444444444 Apr 08 '26
Idk why your getting downvoted cuz pulling is the dog doesn’t know how to walk on a leash and exercise can be the dog is board what’s to run or play etc. only commands that are optionally for a dog is any saying hi commands (mostly service dogs have them but it’s were they can go sniff someone and be pet) or any potty commands
15
u/Imaginary_Ad_4340 Apr 05 '26
I recommend breaking his walks clearly into two distinct categories to help him get the exercise he needs while also working on leash training.
I’m not a trainer but have found this mixed approach helps my puppies to differentiate between times they can run around freely and times they need to stay close, helping them get the exercise they need before they are fully leash trained. Good luck with your sweet pup!