Leisurely walks can benefit both you and your greyhound, providing exercise, mental stimulation, relaxation and an opportunity to strengthen your bond. Some of these benefits can be lost when your dog is constantly pulling and straining on the other end of the leash.
When your greyhound is able to walk on a mostly loose lead, the experience becomes more rewarding for dog and human alike. Avoiding pulling also helps to protect your greyhound’s neck and shoulders which might be damaged with continuous pulling. Relaxed and leisurely walks also serve to calm the dog as the lack of pressure allows the dog to focus on their primary sense: smell!
Like everything worth doing, loose lead walking takes time and patience. Don’t be discouraged though, as with all our other greyhound behaviour tips, helping your dog to walk on a loose lead is simple providing you set your dog up for success.
Often, greyhounds that are suddenly brought to an environment that is totally unfamiliar to them (such as a busy suburban park) will show signs of fear anxiety. Sometimes the dog may freeze on the spot, and other times they may pull on the lead to try to reach safety. Other times the dog may be frustrated by not being able to access things they want (such as a particularly smelly tree), and may pull to try to change that. Improving your dog’s emotional associations with walks is the key to making your dog meander instead of running like they’re in a marathon (as brief as that may be with greyhounds!).
Here are some tips to help your dog learn to take their time and smell the flowers:
Aversive walking tools such as choke chains or prong collars are not recommended. Often, our dog’s pulling behaviour is their way of communicating their anxiety or frustration. Only by listening to this behaviour and working within the dog’s own limits, will you be able to reap the full benefits of a chilled our walking partner.