Does your dog hate going back on the leash at the end of a walk? While we can't say we blame them, we also know how frustrating it is to be repeatedly calling your dog only to have them refuse to come back.
There could be lots of reasons why your dog's recall isn't reliable and distractions in their environment are likely top of the list. But even if your canine companion lives for play and adventure, it's important for you to be able to get them back on the leash without too much fuss when it's time to go home.
And the good news is, there's a simple a way to do it. In a video shared to Instagram, expert trainer Amelia Steele revealed two of her favorite tips for getting a dog back on their leash — and they're really effective. You can check out the video below or read on for a breakdown of what to do.
"The first thing to do periodically through the walk is to call your dog back, pop them back on the lead, give them a dog treat, and then let them back off again," says Steele. "This just shows them that the lead doesn't necessarily mean that the walk is ending."
As well as practising the above tip when you're out on a walk, Steele recommends you engage in recall training with your dog when you're not needing them to go back on the leash.
"The next thing to do is to make sure you practice your recall and make it rewarding outside of when you need to put your dog back on the lead," Steele advises. "If you only ever recall them when the lead's going on, there's a good chance that they're going to start avoiding you and not coming back when you call them."
For more great walking tips and tricks to help make those daily strolls with your canine companion stress-free, check out our guide to three of the most common loose leash walking mistakes and how to fix them.
