Does your dog ever try to initiate a game of tug while you're walking?

It's pretty common—especially with younger dogs. During a walk, they get an energy burst, and they need to use up that energy. And that leash is dangling right there in front of their face, so it seems like the obvious choice.

If you don’t want this behavior to continue for the rest of your dog’s life, be sure not to reward it. Don’t tug back and start saying drop it or leave it, because your dog is going to enjoy that tug game.

But you do have a couple of options.

One: start taking a toy—a stuffed toy, maybe a squeak toy—and when you notice that your dog is starting to get that energy, toss the toy. Give him something else to use that energy on.

If he does start tugging, and you can’t just hold the leash close to your body without turning it into a tug game, drop the leash and stand on it. Let him tug a couple of times—he’s going to figure out that there’s no tug back. He’s going to figure out that the game is boring, and he’s going to disengage and move on.

And another thing you can do is soak your leash in vinegar water two to three times a week. Then your dog will grab the leash, and it’ll taste bad, and pretty soon he’ll break himself of the habit. But you have to soak it two or three times a week because the vinegar dissipates pretty quickly.

But even if you use the vinegar water solution, there are going to be times that your dog gets a little energy burst on walks. So it’s never a bad idea to take along a squeaky toy or a tennis ball—and when you see that energy coming, give him the toy. Give him something to use up that energy.