Ask your self a question.

Here's a question.

What is the thing that you would most like your dog to do?

Think about it, I reckon if you think long and hard there would be one or two things that would make your relationship with your dog just that bit more enjoyable.

Sorry but doing the house work or taking the rubbish out isn't really an option here.

I bet pretty high on most peoples wish list would be, "I would like my dog to walk nicely by my side"

Do you choose the walks that involve the least amount of on lead time, or even avoid them, or worse, do you pollute the planet and drive to the walk because you don't' want to be dragged to where you're going.

You're not the only one, I hate being dragged by a lead as well.

There's a simple solution to being pulled though, it's called "teaching your dog to walk nicely on lead" or put another way, ' Give up a bit of time, or make some time to spend with your dog doing something together, ie learning to walk together on lead.

I can hear the mutterings at the back, "Oh yeah" "I've tried all sorts of methods and none work" "I use a ''Halti' 'Canny collar' 'No pull harness' (insert any number is devices here)"

The thing is, all those devices that manufacturers make millions from, all work, or to be more accurate, they all work when they are on , when they're not on, they don't work and you still have a dog that pulls.

There'll about bout control they control the pulling, they don't stop the pulling.

So what to do, simples, teach your dog to walk to heel, "Ahhhhhh" I hear you say, "Easier said done", "Ahhhhhh" I say, "As easily done as said". Just follow the instructions below to the letter, if it's not working, it's not the dog it's You, read the instructions again, practice them with out your dog and persevere.




You need to go to a fairly large area with out too many distractions.

1. Attach a line about 5 or 6 feet long to your dogs collar, or better still, harness if you have one.

2. Start walking with your at your side and the line gathered up in your hands.

3. Let your walk a head of you if he/she wants paying out line as she goes.

4. As your dog reaches the end of the line give a little tug and turn on your heel and start walking in the opposite direction taking up the slack in the line as puppy catches up with you, don't say anything at this stage.

5. Repeat step 4 as many times as it takes.

6. Very soon, and I mean very soon, most dogs take five minutes, a friends X breed took a little longer, your dog will start walking by your side, at this point , as your dog comes up along side you, you can start praising and introduce the command you'd like to use "HEEL" or what ever word you want to use.

All you need to do then is to keep practising and reminding the little mite what their supposed to do when on a lead.




Good Luck.

I have a 6 year old springer who had a cruciate repair at 2 years old, she went off her leg and the vet suggested rest and an anti-inflammatory drug.

With hindsight, which is a great thing, I wished we gone straight for surgery, when it became clear rest wasn't helping she did have surgery, but due to the delay there was a fair amount of arthritis in the knee due to the unstable joint, this made the surgery more complicated as some of the bone had to be removed.

It was a long recovery with 4 weeks crate rest and her being carried out side to the toilet, I prepared for this by crate training her before hand, then 4 weeks crate rest with her walking out out side, avoiding steps and pulling, during this 4 weeks we gradually extended the lead walks to build up the wasted muscle, followed by a further 4 weeks of restricted off lead exercise, the most difficult part of the regime actually as she thought she was match fit again.

Around 6 months after surgery she was admitted again for the day because she was limping, she was given an injection in to the knee under anaesthetic which supposedly rebuilds cartilage, the difference after the injection was marked in that she no longer limped after exercise, 4 years on she appears to be getting little stiff on that knee again after exercise, the vet has suggested she has the injection again, either in to the knee as a day patient, or as a course of injections under the skin as an out patient.

There are two common types of surgery for the ligament, the one my springer had was basically open the knee up, drill holes in the bone above and below the knee, thread what is essentially strong fishing line and tying the the two halves of the knee together to stabilise it while muscle and new cartilage takes up the slack. It's is less expensive then the second type around £800.00, but has a longer recovery time.

The second method involves opening the knee, taking a slice of the head of the tibia off and repositioning and holding it in place with a metal plate so that there is no slack in the knee joint. it is more expensive, around £1800, and dogs are walking and weight bearing on it very quickly, it also means less arthritis is formed and the dog can return to full exercise much quicker.

We weren't offered the second option by our vets at the time, if we had we would have taken it, insurance was paying so cost was irrelevant anyway, always get a second opinion if you can.