If there’s one thing I’ve learned from working with dogs and their owners over the years, it’s that the small everyday problems are often the ones that cause the most frustration.

A dog that pulls on every walk. A food that doesn’t seem quite right. A dog that is constantly excitable, fussy or difficult to settle.

That’s what The Cotswold Edit is about: practical advice on training, behaviour, nutrition and the products that can genuinely make life with your dog easier.

Why does my dog pull on the lead?

Pulling is one of the most common problems I see.

Dogs don’t usually pull because they are being stubborn or trying to dominate you. In many cases, they simply learn that pulling gets them where they want to go.

If your dog pulls and you continue moving forward, the pulling is effectively rewarded.

The first step is therefore to change what the dog learns from the walk.

Try to reward moments when the lead is loose rather than waiting until your dog is already dragging you down the road. Short, calm training sessions can often be more productive than expecting perfect lead walking throughout an entire walk.

It can also help to think about the dog before the lead even goes on. A dog that leaves the house already highly excited will usually find loose-lead walking much harder.

Equipment can help — but it isn't the whole answer

The right harness can make walks more manageable, particularly with a strong dog, but equipment should work alongside training rather than replace it.

That was one of the reasons behind developing the GentleStep Dog Harness. Its front attachment gives owners another way of managing pulling without relying on increasingly restrictive equipment.

If calmer walks are something you're working on, you can also take a look at my Calmer Walks & Loose Lead Walking Guide, which goes into the training process in more detail.

Does your dog's food suit your dog?

One of the other subjects owners regularly ask me about is food.

There isn't one perfect dog food for every dog.

Breed and size matter, but so do:

  • age
  • activity level
  • weight
  • digestion
  • skin and coat
  • appetite
  • lifestyle

A highly active working dog has very different requirements from an older dog spending most of the day on the sofa.

Likewise, a dog with a sensitive stomach may do better on a very different recipe from a young, active dog that struggles to maintain weight.

Don't choose food by the front of the bag alone

It's easy to get drawn into words such as premium, natural, grain-free or high meat.

Instead, look at the whole recipe and ask whether it makes sense for your individual dog.

Within the Fallon’s range we have everyday recipes such as Chicken & Rice, specialist recipes for weight management and calmer feeding, sensitive options, and cold pressed foods.

We’ve also introduced our high-meat 80/20 Rawternative Cold Pressed recipes for owners who like the nutritional approach of raw feeding but want the convenience of a complete dry food.

Not sure which food to choose?

This is exactly why we've introduced Fallon’s Discovery Boxes.

Rather than buying a large bag and hoping you've picked the right recipe, you can try two or three different Fallon’s foods first.

We now have Discovery Boxes covering:

  • Cold Pressed
  • Rawternative 80/20
  • Sensitive Dogs
  • Calm Dogs
  • Weight Management
  • Fussy Dogs
  • Everyday Feeding

Explore Fallon’s Discovery Boxes

The idea is simple: try a few suitable recipes, find the one your dog enjoys and gets on with, then move onto the full-size bag.

Treats count too

When reviewing a dog's diet, don't just look at what's in the food bowl.

Treats, chews and table scraps all contribute to what your dog eats during the day.

This can be particularly important with dogs that are overweight, fussy or have suspected food sensitivities.

If a dog refuses its dinner but knows that something more exciting will appear ten minutes later, changing brands repeatedly may not solve the underlying problem.

Likewise, if you're trying a simpler diet because of digestive or skin concerns, highly processed treats containing lots of different ingredients can make it harder to work out what agrees with your dog.

I generally prefer straightforward, natural air-dried treats where possible.

A thought for this week's walks

Rather than trying to fix everything at once, choose one small thing.

On your next walk, notice how often the lead actually becomes loose.

Reward those moments.

If you're changing food, don't change five other things at the same time. Give yourself a chance to see how your dog responds.

Small, consistent changes are usually much more useful than constantly searching for the next quick fix.

Need help?

If you're unsure about your dog's food, behaviour or training, you're welcome to get in touch.

You can also use the Fallon’s Food Finder to narrow down the most suitable food options for your dog.

For more detailed behaviour and training help, you can explore my practical dog training guides, including Calmer Walks, Recall, Fussy Feeding, Nervous Dogs and Barking & Chasing.

I’ll be covering more practical training, behaviour and nutrition topics in future editions of The Cotswold Edit.

Keith Fallon
Cotswold Pet Supplies