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What Do I Do.... When My Dog Pulls?
Alas, author Turid Rugaas provides a simple way to teach your dog to walk on a leash without pulling your arm out of its socket! Learn quick and easy methods to train any age, size or breed of dog to walk calmly and quietly on a loose leash. The approach is humane and based on a solid understanding of why dogs pull and how to work with the dog's nature and the environment to overcome the problem. You'll learn how dogs develop pulling problems and simple steps to retraining even a vigorous puller. No special equipment needed. You'll need one dog, one person, harness or soft collar, leash and treats. (© 2005, Paperback, 60 pages)
- GenresDogsNonfictionAnimals
64 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
115 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Turid Rugaas
9 books82 followersTurid Rugaas is an internationally renowned trainer and writer who has devoted her life to dogs, their behavior and their well-being.
The Norwegian dog trainer has worked with dogs for many years and studied the body language of dogs for more than a decade. After a project where Turid and a colleague observed dogs carefully, recording their behaviour on video and in photographs, she became well-known around the world for her work on the calming signals. And Turid Rugaas is now one of the world's leading experts on dog behavior.
In the critically acclaimed book On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals, she shares with us her insights on the fascinating world of communication between dogs, as well as dogs and their owners.
Turid lives and works in Norway where she owns and runs a dog training school, Hagen Hundeskole. Being a popular speaker, she is spending more time abroad than at home, speaking and presenting programs at conferences, seminars and workshops.
The Norwegian dog trainer has worked with dogs for many years and studied the body language of dogs for more than a decade. After a project where Turid and a colleague observed dogs carefully, recording their behaviour on video and in photographs, she became well-known around the world for her work on the calming signals. And Turid Rugaas is now one of the world's leading experts on dog behavior.
In the critically acclaimed book On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals, she shares with us her insights on the fascinating world of communication between dogs, as well as dogs and their owners.
Turid lives and works in Norway where she owns and runs a dog training school, Hagen Hundeskole. Being a popular speaker, she is spending more time abroad than at home, speaking and presenting programs at conferences, seminars and workshops.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
November 11, 2018
Turid Rugaas is a gem. Her books are usually short and easy to read, although sometimes I have to read some parts twice to completly understand what she menns.
Please throw away your Cesar Milan books and read Turid Rugaas. She is highly qualified, a certified trainer, and most importantly, gentle.
Please throw away your Cesar Milan books and read Turid Rugaas. She is highly qualified, a certified trainer, and most importantly, gentle.
April 27, 2025
I like this trainer a lot, her gentle approach and attitude toward dogs. She uses her extensive knowledge and experience with dogs to shape her training around keeping them comfortable and preventing stress and injury. You won't find any leash "corrections" in this booklet.
Her training plan is pretty simple, building around a "neutral noise" that triggers attention. She has seven steps to it, starting with getting the dog used to your signaling their attention with the noise and following you around the house without the leash, then adding the leash later, and then working with distractions. It's very incremental, with an emphasis on not making sessions too long.
I'll probably come back and change my rating to five stars after I go through all the training steps with my dog, but I've already seen improvement just modifying her method on our twice daily walks. I can't put those on hold, but I do plan to take the time to go through her training plan more closely.
To give you an idea of her vibe, here's an excerpt from the end of the booklet.
Her training plan is pretty simple, building around a "neutral noise" that triggers attention. She has seven steps to it, starting with getting the dog used to your signaling their attention with the noise and following you around the house without the leash, then adding the leash later, and then working with distractions. It's very incremental, with an emphasis on not making sessions too long.
I'll probably come back and change my rating to five stars after I go through all the training steps with my dog, but I've already seen improvement just modifying her method on our twice daily walks. I can't put those on hold, but I do plan to take the time to go through her training plan more closely.
To give you an idea of her vibe, here's an excerpt from the end of the booklet.
My wish would be to live in a society where dogs are respected and treasured for what they are... No shouting or irritation, only a pleasant and friendly atmosphere between dog and owner--and other people. Nobody jerking or hauling dogs along, but letting them sniff the smells they find interesting and allowing them to look at things that are happening around them. How nice and relaxing that sounds! It is possible and within reach. It only takes a little thinking and understanding on our part, and it needs only a minimum of work... Decide to become your dog's best friend--and he will automatically become yours.
April 4, 2017
Книжката дава подробна информация за един-единствен метод да научиш кучето си да ходи на отпуснат повод, за сметка на това в големи подробности и обяснения стъпка по стъпка. Както с всички тренировъчни методи, изисква търпение и постоянство, но е хуманен, без насилие и неприятни усещания за водач и куче. И се подписвам под мисълта "Не се съсредоточавайте над това да получите подчинение. Изградете връзката със своето куче и другото ще дойде от самосебе си."
May 15, 2018
Really found this book helpful for training my 7 month old puppy to walk on a loose leash. It also covers the various collars and harnesses on the market, and I switched from collar to harness, which has made a huge difference. If your dog -- of any age pulls you down the street -- get this book and follow the instructions. MANY illustrations too.
September 6, 2023
This was a good, quick read. Turid shares a very simple technique to teach your dog not to pull when leashed, based on R+ principles.
December 10, 2011
Just like her other book. Easy to follow and a quick read. It's easy to outline a way to integrate the techniques into your everyday. For such a short book, it sure does pack a punch.
I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to have their dog stop pulling.
I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to have their dog stop pulling.
August 17, 2014
Extremely helpful.
Extremely helpful.
easily explained and well illustrated with colored pictures. the author is very knowledgeable and is very in tuned with dogs. enjoyed the book and will be trying out technique o. some new puppies.
Extremely helpful.
easily explained and well illustrated with colored pictures. the author is very knowledgeable and is very in tuned with dogs. enjoyed the book and will be trying out technique o. some new puppies.
January 31, 2015
After reading Turid Rugaas great book about calming signals, I had to read this book too. Short and to the point, with very useful tips on how to get your dog to not pull on the leash, using positive reinforcement, never negative.
January 7, 2019
Straight forward, step-by-step information on how to work with a dog that pulls on leash. Examples and images are used throughout the book.
February 1, 2020
Project 2020. Let's do it!
October 4, 2020
This book set the standards in dog training books.
It is straight on the point - teaching your dog to walk on a leash, no unnecessary deviations.
It presents clear and detailed training protocol. It describes dog's psychology behind pulling the leash, so you could adjust to the specifics of the dog trained. It also describes what trainer could be doing wrong - very important, since in my experience undesired dog behaviors in most of the cases is created by failure of the owner/trainer to understand and communicate with the dog. In case training is not going as planed, there are suggestions what to do for the different deviations. There are explanations how to apply this newly acquired behavior in the real world, what could go wrong and how to handle it.
So far I did three 15 min sessions with my 4 y.o. GSD, who always has been overexcited and distracted, and he is behaving surprisingly well - i.e. when he feels the leash tighten, he looks at me and makes the leash loose again. Also he's quite attentive to what I am doing now, despite the small distractions present. Note that I already had conditioned "attention on cue" by competition methodology, but it never worked for my GSD when he's excited by distractions.
It is straight on the point - teaching your dog to walk on a leash, no unnecessary deviations.
It presents clear and detailed training protocol. It describes dog's psychology behind pulling the leash, so you could adjust to the specifics of the dog trained. It also describes what trainer could be doing wrong - very important, since in my experience undesired dog behaviors in most of the cases is created by failure of the owner/trainer to understand and communicate with the dog. In case training is not going as planed, there are suggestions what to do for the different deviations. There are explanations how to apply this newly acquired behavior in the real world, what could go wrong and how to handle it.
So far I did three 15 min sessions with my 4 y.o. GSD, who always has been overexcited and distracted, and he is behaving surprisingly well - i.e. when he feels the leash tighten, he looks at me and makes the leash loose again. Also he's quite attentive to what I am doing now, despite the small distractions present. Note that I already had conditioned "attention on cue" by competition methodology, but it never worked for my GSD when he's excited by distractions.
December 15, 2023
This review is for two books: Calming Signals & My Dog Pulls
Small guides to action based primarily on positive reinforcement. The author tells why the dog pulls on the leash (of course, it pulls, it's a dog and wants to do its own dog stuff!), why many people can't unlearn it (it's necessary not to unlearn, but to teach it to another behavior), why dogs are aggressive to other dogs and people, how you can reduce the possibility of dog fights to a minimum, in what cases dogs get stress, how it manifests itself and how it can be reduced. I liked the fact that both books have practically no water, everything is only the most necessary and that in general such a topic as body language of dogs and the possibility of its partial imitation by humans is raised.
Small guides to action based primarily on positive reinforcement. The author tells why the dog pulls on the leash (of course, it pulls, it's a dog and wants to do its own dog stuff!), why many people can't unlearn it (it's necessary not to unlearn, but to teach it to another behavior), why dogs are aggressive to other dogs and people, how you can reduce the possibility of dog fights to a minimum, in what cases dogs get stress, how it manifests itself and how it can be reduced. I liked the fact that both books have practically no water, everything is only the most necessary and that in general such a topic as body language of dogs and the possibility of its partial imitation by humans is raised.
November 10, 2017
For my puppy Cocoa
Finally I have found a loose leash training book, that makes
it so incredibly easy to train my dog Cocoa to walk on a loose
leash. No pain full corrections or angry voice corrections. Just
A neutral sound (For attention gaining from your dog) treats and
A loose leash. All you do is add the love and patience to teach your dog
following the simple training lessions. To a life long enjoyment for you and
Your dog walking on a loose leash.
Finally I have found a loose leash training book, that makes
it so incredibly easy to train my dog Cocoa to walk on a loose
leash. No pain full corrections or angry voice corrections. Just
A neutral sound (For attention gaining from your dog) treats and
A loose leash. All you do is add the love and patience to teach your dog
following the simple training lessions. To a life long enjoyment for you and
Your dog walking on a loose leash.
November 24, 2019
It's a short book focused on reducing pulling while walking, emphasis on "reducing". I'd say it's a must for new and old dog owners to settle expectations on what a normal walk should be (e.g. won't be zero pulling). The technique is simple, a bunch of YouTube videos nowadays show the same technique, the difference is that the book allows you to go deeper into examples, troubleshooting and how to take the lesson from home to the everyday walk in the streets with distractions and so on.
February 12, 2018
Worked for me (up to a point). I do hope it works for you and your person. Life is much better if you are not yanked about all the time. I find a constant supply of tasty treats is a great aid to the training. It's still hard not to get carried away but, apparently, I'm better than any of my predecessors :)
October 11, 2017
Concise & Valuable
At the very beginning of the book, Turid gives the short version. It represents 75% of what you need to know. The remainder of the book is a quick read with an enjoyable style.
At the very beginning of the book, Turid gives the short version. It represents 75% of what you need to know. The remainder of the book is a quick read with an enjoyable style.
October 26, 2024
Mais uma vez, Turid Rugaas surpreende-nos com a simplicidade da escrita e com o conhecimento que podemos todos ter em relação aos cães.
Devia ser uma autora de leitura obrigatória a toda a gente que tem/contacta com cães.
Devia ser uma autora de leitura obrigatória a toda a gente que tem/contacta com cães.
April 2, 2020
I'm already using the training technique and seeing good results.
May 20, 2021
Quick easy read for training dogs not to pull on a leash.
August 5, 2021
Another brilliant one. I wish she’d write even more books. ☺️
March 24, 2022
Brilliant!
May 23, 2022
A must read for any dog owner! I wish I knew about Turid’s books before I got my dogs, but I am so glad I know about them now.
July 10, 2022
Коротко та зрозуміло, як навчити собаку гуляти на повідку. Буду пробувати
March 6, 2024
good advice
Some excellent advice for all dog owners. I am particularly looking forward to trying it out with our two Airedales.
Some excellent advice for all dog owners. I am particularly looking forward to trying it out with our two Airedales.
August 15, 2025
Erg logisch, maar goed dat het nogmaals benoemd wordt. Logisch en simpel, maar zeer helpend voor vele baasjes denk ik.
October 20, 2025
Nice, easy read, and Rugaas has a concise and easy-to-follow guide. Worth it for animal lovers.
October 8, 2016
So logical, and kind.
A stray GSD has acquired me as her owner. She's 2 years old and a very sweet girl. She is reactive to other dogs and bicycles and I am not a very strong person. I was using the easy leader because I was afraid I could not control her outdoors. After reading this book, I will change to a harness immediately. I would never want to be lead around with a head harness. I have just finished this book. We'll see.
A stray GSD has acquired me as her owner. She's 2 years old and a very sweet girl. She is reactive to other dogs and bicycles and I am not a very strong person. I was using the easy leader because I was afraid I could not control her outdoors. After reading this book, I will change to a harness immediately. I would never want to be lead around with a head harness. I have just finished this book. We'll see.
August 29, 2013
As long as your not working with a fearful dog this book works wonderfully. Even with a fearful dog it works great, just not when any of his triggers are present. This book is quick to read and easy to understand and I have recommended it to customers many times. I've only ever got good feedback from it.
March 21, 2016
Good short read. I read this to compare training tips and techniques used today and dating back through mans evolution with dog. I wouldn't say a potential pet owner should read this as I think there are plenty of easier ways to train a dog. Though I will still say I will probably have my children read these books so that they too can learn the evolution of canine training.
January 21, 2016
Hieno, lyhyt ja tehokas kirja opettaa kuinka koira opetetaan kävelemään kauniisti hihnassa. Olen ottanut opit käyttöön ja hyvältä näyttää. Onneksi on omana tämä lyhyt kirja, niin voi palauttaa mieleen näitä oppeja.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews