dog pulling on leash, how do I teach loose leash walking?

A dog that pulls on the leash when walking can create alot of problems. If the dog is very large and/or the handler is unsteady on their feet, it can even become a major safety hazard. It also may make it harder and harder to walk the dog, which means the dog gets less exercise, and the problem is perpetuated.

So let’s first look at why dogs pull on the leash. It’s because they CAN! And it often works to get them what they want. For instance, if a dog wants to go and sniff a tree, and he pulls towards the tree, then the owner goes with the dog and allows the dog to sniff the tree, what has the dog learned from the interaction? He learned that if he wants to sniff a tree, he can pull towards it, and get what he wants. My favorite mantra with my students is this…”a dog only does what works”. If you want a behavior to continue, make it work for the dog. If you want a behavior to diminish, make it NOT work for the dog.

So how do we do that with a determined leash puller? First off, try everything in your power to NOT let the dog get wherever he’s trying to go when he’s pulling on the leash. It works faster if you in fact go the OPPOSITE direction from where the dog wants to go so that he learns that pulling towards something always ends up leading him away from what he wants. I often spend the first few minutes of a walk, switching directions rapidly on my dog. I’ll walk a few steps in one direction, and if he pulls or puts tension on the leash at all, I make a surprise hard turn in the opposite direction for a few steps, and repeat. It’s actually easier to do then it is to explain it without being able to show you. 

Of course, the correct collar type and fit makes a difference in the initial phases of working with the dog on it as well. I don’t want to get into a debate at the moment on the correct type of collar to use on a dog, technically I couldn’t tell you without seeing your dog and knowing the exact situation. But I highly recommend that if one isn’t working, make sure it’s fitted correctly (you’d be surprised how many owners have collars that are WAY too big on their dogs). If it IS fitted correctly, and it’s still not working, either you’re not doing it right, or it’s not the correct collar for your dog and you should consider another type. (I will post more on different types of training collars at a later date). 

Also, wrapping the leash around your wrist or grabbing it up tight in attempt to hold the dog at your side, does not constitute training the dog not to pull on the leash ! In that instance, you are merely restraining, NOT training. And in fact, oftentimes this makes a dog pull harder. It plays on the “opposition reflex” in the dog. All animals (including humans) have reflexes they react in similar ways to. WIth the opposition reflex, if you pull on the dog, the dog will pull back. If you push on the dog the dog will push back. What this means in terms of leash training is that keeping tension on the dogs leash/collar, actually teaches the dog to PULL on the leash. It would be far more productive to give the dog the slack. If he takes it and pulls on it, turn hard in the opposite direction. He’ll quickly learn to pay attention to where you are, or you may just go crazy and walk away again! 

In my experience, some owners simply do not know what “slack in the leash” feels like. They are so used to having a tight leash, they can’t grasp the concept. The way I help them determine this is by making them “feel” it. Basically, if you close your eyes, and can feel where the dog is because of the tension on the leash, it’s too tight. I prefer a walk where the dog is accountable for not putting any tension on it at all. That does not mean I prefer a perfect heel for the entire length of the walk. I don’t even like that some trainers require the dog to walk BEHIND them the entire time. I simply require that the dog does not apply any tension on the leash, and that they do not cross back and forth in front of me (I hate feeling like I”m going to trip!). 

When the dog DOES keep slack on the leash, reward him lavishly. It could be a pat, a happy voice, a toy, a piece of food (I only sometimes use food in the beginning, try to fade out fairly quickly), or even just the chance to continue on the walk. Or you may let him actually get to the thing he wanted to get to in the first place (remember the example of the dog wanting to sniff the tree?). 

And whatever you do, remain consistent with the training especially in the beginning phases. If you SOMETIMES let him pull towards something, and then other times you don’t, you will simply confuse him.