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Can I teach my dog to weight pull?
I often regret teaching my dog not to pull on a leash. Now he never pulls. You’d think this would be a cause for celebration, but I find it particularly disheartening when I’m hiking up a very big hill and he won’t pull me up. Bad dog, bad dog! Instead, I should have taught him to differentiate between specific commands like “NO PULLING!” and “MUSH!”

You actually can teach Steroid Stan to weight pull (don’t use a choke chain in the process, right?). Some dogs are even entered into “pulling” contests, where large breeds pull weight for competition (which can be several hundreds of pounds). This is the canine equivalent of the “Strongest man” competition. Use positive, short commands such as “Hike!” “Pull!” or “Go!”, so Stan knows specifically when to pull. Use positive feedback too, giving him a treat (with no steroids in it!) when he obeys. Remember, don’t start this kind of training until your dog’s bones, cartilage, and tendons are well developed and reach full maturity. If you’re looking for a strong dog – we don’t want to stunt his growth!

Material from It's a Dog's Life... but It's Your Carpet: Everything you ever wanted to know about your four-legged friend by Dr. Justine Lee at Dr. Justine Lee - It's a Dog's Life, but It's Your Carpet

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