Loose Leash Walking: How to get your dog to walk with you

• Posted on 28 January 2015
• By Dr. Jill Tack
• Posted in dog, dog training tips, how to train dog not to pull on leash, Kat Stevens-Stanley, leash, leash training, looseleash, national train your dog month, pulling on leash, training, Walking
• 0

We're back with our third and final dog training post from Kat Stevens-Stanley. Today, she's giving us pointers on how to get your dog to stop pulling on leash. See her tips on Positive Reinforcement Dog Training here and her post on understanding your dog's body language here.

We're back with our third and final dog training post from Kat Stevens-Stanley. Today, she's giving us pointers on how to get your dog to stop pulling on leash. See her tips on Positive Reinforcement Dog Training here and her post on understanding your dog's body language here.

Getting help for dogs who pull on leash is one of the top requests I get calls for as a dog trainer. While exercise is great for humans and dogs, meeting this need can be really difficult and dangerous if you have a dog who drags you down the street. With some training and practice, teaching your dog that walking with you pays off, can make your difficult walks enjoyable once again.

Why Do Dogs Pull on Leash?

First, it’s important to understand why dogs pull on leash. Dogs do what works for them.  Your dog will always choose the quickest path to what’s rewarding. Every time your dog pulls on leash, your dog gets physically closer to whatever it is she is interested in, be it squirrel, a scent, another human, or another dog. Pulling works. The first step to conquering this is to teach your dog that staying near you pays off, because there’s a 'paycheck' involved. I am by no means saying that your dog cannot investigate all the 'p-mail' there is to read on your walking route, it just means that they must walk with you in order to get there.

How to Train Your Dog to Not Pull

Start by getting some of your dog’s favorite food rewards and choosing a low distraction environment. This could be your driveway or the sidewalk in front of your house. If your dog is extra amped up and ready to go, you may need to start practicing this step indoors and then work your way onto the street. Attach a leash to your dog and take a few steps backwards. Coax your dog to follow you. As your dog follows you with the leash nice and slack, toss food to your dog. You are rewarding (or 'paying') your dog for walking with the leash nice and loose.

When your dog is following you well, turn your body so that you are now walking forward. Your dog should now be following you at your side (note: it does not matter what side of your body you choose to walk your dog on. I think it’s a good idea to practice on both sides!). Treat your dog frequently for walking next to you. This area next to you will become the million dollar sweet spot for your dog. When your dog walks here, food rewards happen. Once your dog is doing well walking with you here, you are ready to try this on a walk.

Practice and Consistency are Key

Once you begin to teach your dog that pulling will no longer equal getting closer to something they are attracted to, it’s important that you are very strict in your consistency that pulling equals the walk stops. Some trainers will advise you to simply wait until your dog is no longer pulling and then continue moving forward. While this may work for some dogs, with others you may end up with a dog who walks with a bit of a yo-yo effect (dog pulls, dog stops, dog pulls again, dog stops, etc.). The stopping part is great, but think about what you want your dog to do instead: walk with you.

If you dog starts pulling, or even before the leash becomes tight and you notice your dog begin to quicken her pace, call your dog back towards you. When your dog comes back, praise and continue walking. You may walk in the direction of the object your dog is attracted to, provided it is an object that your dog may safely investigate (a tree or grass vs. a dead animal or another barking dog).

It’s important to note here that I do not like to reward dogs for making a mistake. A verbal 'thank you' or 'good girl' is fine, but paying dogs for doing the right thing in the first place is the clearest way to communicate to your dog that walking next to you is best and staying in this area means you will be rewarded. If you pay your dog for correcting the mistake, you will have a dog who makes mistakes on purpose in order to get the reward. After all, it isn’t a mistake from their perspective. The action of pulling then being called back to you is what earned the reward last time. This can also cause yo-yo dog walks.

Practice your walks like this beginning in a low-distraction environment. Clearly communicating to your dog what area in relationship to you is okay to walk in and what areas are not can be challenging! If while you are walking you begin to approach something you know your dog will be attracted to, stop your walk and wait for the thing to pass (if it is a human or another dog), cross the street if an increase in distance helps you, or do your best to rapidly reward your dog as you pass by so that your dog is most interested in focusing on you instead of the attraction. Work up to being able to successfully pass by attractions with your dog without leash pulling.

If you are having difficulty because your dog is reacting severely to things such as adult humans, kids, other dogs, or something else very specific, your best bet is to meet with a professional positive reinforcement trainer to help you with your own dog’s specific needs. Also, be aware of your environment! With winter upon us, sidewalks and neighborhood streets can be slick and icy. If your walking path isn’t cleared, walking on the grass can help with better footing and make you less likely to slip and fall. A front clip harness is a great equipment choice which can encourage your dog’s body to turn towards you when pulling. I also recommend purchasing a fanny-pack style dog treat pouch to carry food with you while walking. Practice these skills on each and every walk and you’ll soon be on your way to having a dog who enjoys walking with you!

About the Author:

Kat Stevens-Stanley is a positive reinforcement, science-based dog trainer serving the metro Detroit area. As a lifelong dog nut, Kat has been caring for pets since childhood. Kat began a journey into the minds of dogs more deeply after adopting her dog, LOLA, from the Detroit Michigan Humane Society in 2007. In 2011,Katturned her passion for dogs into a lifelong career and graduated as a certified dog trainer from Animal Behavior College. In 2013 while preparing for the first two-legged addition to join her family, Kat became a licensed educator with the Family Paws Parent Education program, a unique international community of dog trainers who specialize in supporting and educating families with babies and young children, who also share their lives with dogs. Kat enjoys membership with the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, participating in seminars, and reading up on the latest in canine behavior science. In addition to dog training, Kat has worked as a pet sitter, dog walker, dog play group supervisor, and has completed a course in canine massage. Kat currently shares her home with her two dogs, LOLA & Bandit, her husband Joe, and their toddler, Margot. For more info visit www.katstevensdogtraining.com