Workout Wednesday: Pit Bull Leash Training - How to Walk a Whirling Dervish

One sunny afternoon in Kentucky, I put Dave's handsome American Staffordshire mix, Lou, on leash and headed for the wide world. It was a gorgeous day, and I thought it high time that Lou get some one-on-one training time. Did I mention the leash I put on was extendible? And attached to nothing but a regular collar on Louie's big, tough, bully neck? If you know anything about bullies, alarm bells are probably going off already. Sure enough, we got out the door and Lou spotted Dave across the field - the powerful pup took off in a burst, and I was dragged through the field, clinging desperately to the end of the leash.

Whether you have or have not had a similar experience, this post will give you three easy steps to avoiding one in the future. There's nothing more frustrating than trying to spend quality time exercising your bully, only to return home exhausted from the effort of keeping your pooch under control at every corner. So, here are a few keys to a peaceful walking routine for you and your bully.

(1) Use the right equipment. In case you didn't catch it in my disastrous example, extendible leashes are a bad idea for bully breeds. Stick with a four- to six-foot lead, and keep your big guy close to you at all times. Pit bulls are known for their power - if your pup sees something he wants to get to and he has a few feet on the lead to gain momentum, it will be that much more difficult for you to stop him. In addition to the right leash, simplify your life by using a head collar or no-pull harness. One thing to keep in mind with the head collar: to the average, non-dog-oriented bystander, it looks like a muzzle, which can reinforce the public perception of pit bulls as dangerous dogs. There are a number of no-pull harnesses on the market that work just as well as the head collars, and they will keep your bully's good image intact.

(2) Teach basic obedience commands. The three commands your bully should not be without: sit, stop, and let's go. By having a few commands that your pup knows without question, you can have something to fall back on when it feels like your walk is getting out of control. If a cat runs across your path or a dog is walking three blocks away and your bully gets excited, bring him back to earth with a command he knows inside-out; get his attention back on you by making him sit, or switch directions with a quick "Let's go." When your adrenaline is going and your dog is heightened, it's difficult to problem-solve - instead of trying to do that, stick with something you both know by heart.

(3) Never follow a pulling bully! If it's at all possible, give your dog a little free run before going for a walk - play fetch or frisbee in the backyard, until your bully is just a little less jazzed than he was when you first went outside. Once on leash, the goal should be to have your dog beside you on a loose lead. When that isn't happening, your pup should never feel as though he is being rewarded for pulling. If he's getting where he wants to go by dragging you, he's getting rewarded - a verbal or physical reprimand doesn't really matter, because it's a small price to pay for getting to water that special tree he loves so much. So, that means that each and every time he starts pulling, you need to switch direction. This is often a maddening and slow process, but after you've switched direction a few (or fifty) times, he'll get the picture: calm behavior means he gets to go where he wants, pulling gets him nowhere.

One final note: a pit bull who gets walked once a week will always be a pulling pit bull. Your bully should be on leash at least once a day working on his manners, in order to make walking with you less of a momentous occasion. Follow these simple rules and before you know it, you'll be enjoying those long walks in the park just as much as your bully does.