Easy Dog Tool That Works Like Magic

When my trainer first suggested using a drag leash, I could not understand why I had never thought of using a leash inside the house. It is a great tool to get my dog to do what I want them to do without a lot of fanfare. It took the burden of me physically moving my dog to letting them learn for themselves with some gentle guidance from the leash.

What is a drag leash?

A leash that has been modified by cutting off the loop. Your dog wears this during the day while you are home. What this tool does is gives you a "handle" to your dog. 

Carly

For Puppies:

It is a great tool to use when training puppies.  You can always get a quick handle on them while at the same time getting them used to wearing a leash. 

Jumping on the trash can? A quick "no" and gentle tug to guide them away works great. Playing hide and go seek behind the couch or under the bed? Without having to crawl under the bed, you can just grab the leash and slide the rascal out. Running through the house with your underwear or sock? A quick foot on the leash stops him dead in his tracks.

Carly, Bella, Daisy & Abby 

For Leading: 

One of the best uses of the drag leash is to be able to gently lead your dog where you want her to go. You don't even have to say anything. You can just pick up the end of the leash and gently lead her to her "place" or "spot". I usually say "let's go" and use a gentle pressure to get them moving forward. 

You can use it to get them off a piece of furniture or bed by giving a gentle tug and saying "off".

When I have given the command "Place", I can use the drag leash to gently move them back onto their cot if they break command. I do not drag them, just a touch of pressure in the right direction and then let them use their brain to figure out what they need to do.

For Jumping:

If your dog is a chronic jumper, just put your foot on the end of the leash when she is apt to jump and it does not give them enough room to jump up. They get the idea pretty quickly if you are consistent. Carly is my worst jumper. I have been working on breaking this habit with her. She wants to jump on the grandkids and am always afraid she will knock the toddler over or scratch them. 

For Door Control:

At my house, mention the word "outside" and you can have a stampede. I have been working on a more orderly and calm exit by making them wait until I call their name before I release them out the door. This has been going pretty well with the exception of Abby. Abby likes to be first out the door.  She likes to turn and jump on each of them as they come out. I usually step on her drag leash to be sure she waits her turn.

For Submissive Pee-ers (is that a word?):

If you have a dog who submissively pees when you reach for her, the drag leash is the perfect tool for you. Don't make eye contact with your dog but gently reach down and pick up the leash to lead her to her potty area. When she starts to move forward, you can give her a very soft praise word and again after she potties.

How Many Toys Can We Pull Out?

Care For Your Drag Lead:

I usually toss the leads into the washer with a load of towels once a week. It can get pretty grimy being pulled around on the floor and when they go outside. I buy the cheap leashes from the dollar store so I can also replace them quite often.

I hope this little training tip helps you as much as it has helped me!

For some other great ideas on other training tools, see my post on 10 Tools That Can Change Your Dog's Behavior.

Scooter Cuddling With His Sissy