Is your Frenchie a heavy puller who behaves stubbornly when going on strolls? Do your walks look like endless fights between your arms, your dog’s leash, and his body strength? If you’re enough of your French bulldog’s pulling behavior, then it’s the ultimate time to start with lessons that will turn your pet into an obedient student. Before you get mad at your dog, remember that they’re not programmed to walk as we do. Even if you’re dreaming of relaxing strolls through the neighborhood with your four-legged friend, there’s still the light at the end of a tunnel. Every puppy can learn to walk beside the owner’s legs with the right training lessons.
What are the reasons for French bulldog pulling behavior?
Dogs can pull for many reasons because it’s not in their nature to walk on the leash. They are curious creatures and their attention may be distracted by an unknown scent, sound, or animal. Regardless of the breed, our four-legged friends are born to explore, sniff, and lick the items in their environment. Pulling behavior happens at a young age, and they don’t do that because they want to be your pack leaders. It’s their normal reaction to the outside world, so their desire to push becomes very strong.
However, to live with an obedient pet, you have to prevent this behavior from an early age. It doesn’t mean that you should use force, punishment, and other restrictive methods. Your Frenchie should feel comfortable, relaxed, and safe during walks and not afraid of going outside with you.
How to stop your French bulldog from pulling?
Choose a quiet location for first walks
When your French bulldog becomes allowed to go outside, it would be best to choose a quiet location where he will get everything he needs. For example, in the first few weeks, it would be great to choose a fenced area such as a fenced park where your pet won’t feel afraid.
Every pet has to get vigorous exercise, the opportunity to sniff the environment and meet other dogs. That’s how you’ll build a confident personality in your pet. However, in the first few weeks, we suggest you perform walking lessons during the quiet time of the day. Choosing a non-exciting area for a walk is also essential because, in that way, your pet will behave more calmed and relaxed.
Reward your French bulldog’s obedient behavior
Every dog likes to be rewarded. It’s a sign that he’s done something positive, so he’ll connect such action with your rewards. Since food represents the best motivational tool for most dogs, using French bulldog snacks will be the best choice. Giving your Frenchie something yummy for positive behavior will encourage him to repeat it.
However, we recommend you not to overfeed your pooch with treats because they can lead to gaining weight. French bulldogs are notorious for their tendency to quickly gain kilos, so the best thing to do is to separate a certain amount of his dry kibble meal for rewarding.
Use a French bulldog harness instead of a collar
Frenchie collars are not recommended to use during the dog’s young age. It’s because they can cause neck and spine injuries triggered by a French bulldog’s pulling behavior. Just imagine the pressure your dog will feel around his neck when going on a stroll with a collar if he’s still not properly trained. Using a front clip French bulldog harness will perfectly work on some dogs, while others may better fit wearing a standard dog harness with a D-ring on the back.
Our suggestion is to have a look at the following French bulldog harness with padded straps that features double D-rings. It represents a perfect pick for nervous puppies and dogs who don’t love to feel multiple straps on their bodies. The thin straps on this harness are made of nylon webbing and they’re padded with soft plush to prevent skin irritations.
Another French bulldog harness that can be used on untrained puppies is Tuff Hound Nylon Comfortable French Bulldog Harness. It relocates the pressure to the chest area, the outer part is trimmed neatly with a soft material, and the inner part features mesh material. The straps are adjustable and the lead hole is put on the dog’s back.
Stop walking to prevent your French bulldog’s pulling behavior
To teach your pet to walk relaxed by your legs, you can try with ’stop walk’. Every time your dog starts to pull, you should stop walking and tell him ’no’ or ’don’t words. In that way, your pet will figure out that he’s doing something wrong, so after multiple repeats, he’ll start to behave obediently. Of course, when he walks beside your legs, don’t forget to reward him with treats and praise words.
Change your dog’s direction
Your dog’s attention can be distracted by another animal. Therefore, if your pet behaves aggressively and pulls a lot when sees an unknown dog, you should change his perspective. Change your direction even though your Frenchie starts to bark ( It’s his way to explain to you that he needs space). Tell him the command ’let’s go’, change your direction, and reward him for listening to you.