Dogs have to be taught to walk nicely on a leash. They are not
born knowing that they shouldn’t pull or lag behind, after all. Teaching leash
manners can be challenging, primarily because dogs are wildly excited about
going for walks, and they find it so rewarding to do their own thing. Some dogs
are determined to get where they are going as fast as they possibly can; other
dogs want to stop, sniff, and urinate on anything and everything in their path.
If you plan to teach your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash, it is critical
that you never allow the dog to be rewarded for pulling. If you are
inconsistent, your dog will continue to pull because sometimes it pays off. This
means that even if you’re in a hurry to take the dog out, you can’t relax the
rules and permit the dog to pull!
You may have seen “obedience dogs” at shows or on TV who prance
alongside their handlers, staring up with rapt attention. These dogs have been
trained in precision heeling. While this looks incredible, it is not something a
dog can do for long periods of time. Precision heeling demands constant
attention from both dog and handler and is not appropriate for your daily walks
around the block or to the park. Even these dogs have been taught basic manners
to be able to walk along on a loose leash.
There are various methods for teaching a dog to walk without
pulling. No one method works for all dogs. There are certain rules that ought to
be followed no matter which approach you opt for:
-
Until your dog learns to walk without pulling, all walks are training sessions.
Keep training sessions frequent, short, and fun for the dog.
- Teaching a dog to walk without pulling requires plenty of
rewards. Use highly desirable treats that the dog does not have access to at
other times. Soft treats are best so the dog can eat them quickly. Most dogs
love sliced wieners, small cubes of cheese, cut-up pieces of cooked chicken,
small chunks of jerky treat and freeze-dried liver.
-
You’ll be more successful if you find a way to tire the dog out before taking
him for a training walk. Dogs pull in part because they are filled with excess
energy, and unless you can expend that energy, it will be very hard for your dog
to control himself. Play fetch in the hallway or backyard, play a vigorous game
of tug, or drive the dog to the park so he can play with his buddies before you
attempt to teach him to walk nicely on leash.
-
Walk at a good, quick pace. If the dog is trotting or running, he has less
opportunity to catch a whiff of something enticing, and he is less inclined to
stop and eliminate every few steps. You are far more interesting to the dog when
you move quickly.
- All dogs need to sniff and eliminate on walks. Some dogs take forever
choosing the exact best spot on which to urinate or defecate! Allow your dog a
certain amount of time, then say, “Okay hurry up,” and give a light tug on the
collar. Give him another 30 seconds and repeat, “Okay, let’s walk,” in a firmer
tone of voice. Pull the dog away from the spot and resume walking. This way you
are giving your dog a warning—and if he really wants to urinate in that spot, he
knows he has 30 seconds in which to do it!
-
If you expect your dog to be controlled while walking on leash, you must also
expect him to be controlled before you go for the walk. If your dog gets wildly
excited as you prepare to go for a walk, you need to start your training at this
point. Walk to the door and pick up the leash. If your dog is racing back and
forth from you to the door, barking, whining, spinning, or jumping up, stop and
ask your dog to sit. If the dog continues to be wild, put the leash down and go
sit and read the paper. Try again a few minutes later. Continue until the dog
actually does sit. Praise and reach to put the leash on the dog. If he jumps out
of the sit, drop the leash, stand up tall, and say “Sit.” Wait. When the dog
sits, try again. This is tedious training that will make your first few attempts
to go for a walk very taxing on your patience! But eventually you will have a
dog who can sit and wait while you attach his leash to his collar and open the
door. The next step is teaching the dog to walk without pulling on the leash!
Option 1:
Walk in your intended direction.
The moment you feel the dog pulling on the leash, stop dead in your tracks and
wait. When the dog stops pulling (maybe he turns to see what you’re doing), call
him back to you. When he comes to you, ask him to sit. When he does, say “Yes,”
give him a treat, and resume walking. With any luck, your dog will look up at
you because of the tasty treat. Immediately say “Yes” and give another treat
while you keep walking. If the dog pulls again, repeat the same steps: stop dead
and wait, when the dog relaxes the pressure on the leash, call him to you, have
him sit, say “Yes” and give a treat, then resume walking. Take every opportunity
to reward the dog for staying next to you and/or looking up at you, while
continuing to walk. If you do this consistently, the dog learns two things: (1)
if he stays near you or looks at you, he gets treats and he gets to keep moving,
and (2) if he pulls on the leash, it’s a pain in the butt because he doesn’t get
to keep moving AND he has to come back to you and sit. If you see that your dog
is pulling toward an object to sniff or eliminate, follow the same rules but
when the dog comes back and sits by you, say “Yes” and release him to go to the
object (provided you are close enough that he doesn’t need to pull). After a few
days or weeks, you will find yourself stopping less frequently. Make sure you
continue to reward your dog for good behavior or he will regress back to
pulling.
Option 2:
Before you begin walking, call
your dog’s name to get his attention. When he looks up at you, show him that you
have a few tasty treats in your free hand. Hold your hand in front of your dog’s
face so he is looking at the treats, maybe even trying to nibble at one. Say
“Let’s walk,” and move in your intended direction. Every few seconds, pop a
small treat into the dog’s mouth. Praise your dog for walking along at your
pace. If the dog stops and sniffs or pulls ahead, stop and gain your dog’s
attention. Have him sit, show him the treats, and start again. Gradually, over
days or weeks, pull your hand up closer to your body. If your dog jumps up to
get the treat, say “uh uh” and tuck your hand in tight to your body. When all
four of his feet are back on the ground, say “Good!” and reposition your hand.
When you reward the dog, reach down to his face to pop the treat in his mouth.
When he can walk along without pulling and with your hand in a more natural
position beside your body, tuck your hand in a pocket. Continue to reward
frequently. Eventually you should be able to walk with your hand comfortably at
your side, reaching into your pocket to grab a treat to reward the dog. Over
time, gradually increase the amount of time between treats so your dog is
walking along for longer distances between treats.
Option 3
(not for use on dogs wearing a choke or pinch/prong collar):
For some dogs,
stopping and waiting or luring with treats is not sufficient to give them the
idea that they shouldn’t pull. Instead of stopping, teach the dog that when he
pulls, it’s a signal for you to turn and walk back the way you came. You need to
incorporate a warning into this sequence. Before your dog reaches the end of the
leash, say “Easy.” If he slows down, say “Yes!” and call him back to you for a
treat as you keep moving. If he does not slow down but gets to the end of the
leash and starts pulling, don’t say anything to the dog. Just turn abruptly so
your dog will check himself at the end of the leash. As your dog runs to catch
up to you, praise him. When he reaches you, turn and walk in your original
direction. If he pulls again, turn around again. He will learn that pulling is
unpleasant because he gets checked against the end of the leash AND he gets
farther away from his destination. Be sure to follow the same instructions as
above for rewarding the dog when he walks without pulling.
**** Be advised that if your dog is RUNNING at full speed toward
the end of the leash, you could inflict physical damage to his neck if you allow
him to check himself against the leash without giving him any slack. Allow your
arm to absorb most of the force when you turn so the dog is surprised but not
harmed.
Option 4 (not for use on dogs wearing a choke or
pinch/prong collar):
More resistant dogs may need a jerk on the collar when
they pull. You need to incorporate a warning into this sequence. Before your dog
reaches the end of the leash, say “Easy.” If he slows down, say “Yes” and call
him back to you for a treat as you keep moving. If he does not slow down but
gets to the end of the leash and starts pulling, say, “I said, easy,” in a firm
tone, and jerk back on the leash so the dog feels pressure on the front of his
neck. To do this, you will need to reach your arm forward a few inches to give
yourself the slack on the leash to jerk back. Make sure your action is a jerk
and not a pull. You may need to do this a couple of times before the dog slows
down. How much pressure you exert when you jerk back depends on the dog. If your
dog is small or sensitive, you will need only slight force. If your dog is large
and tenacious, you may need a stronger arm.
**** Be advised that if you apply an inordinate amount of effort
when you jerk on the dog’s collar, you can inflict physical damage to the neck.
A dog’s trachea is susceptible to bruising, so be extremely cautious when using
this approach.
What sort of equipment should you use?
While you are teaching your dog not to pull on the leash, you should use a 4- or
6-foot leash. Use a width and a material that are comfortable for your hand.
Chain leashes are awkward to use and should be avoided unless you have a dog who
easily chews through leashes. There are elasticized leashes (made of “bungee”
material) that work well to discourage pulling in some dogs. Extendable leashes,
such as the FlexiTM, or leashes longer than 6 feet are appropriate
for giving the dog exercise while on leash but are inappropriate for teaching a
dog not to pull.
GOOD Collar Choices:
- A
regular buckle collar
- A martingale collar (also called a limited slip
collar)
- A head halter/head collar (such as the HaltiTM, Gentle
LeaderTM, Snoot LoopTM)
- A no-pull harness (such as
the SensationTM or the LupiTM)
- The head halters and
no-pull harnesses may decrease pulling without additional training.
UNSUITABLE Collar Choices:
- A regular body harness (actually encourages pulling)
- A fabric or metal
choke/check collar (may be effective for your dog if used under the guidance of
a certified trainer)
- A pinch/prong collar (may be effective for your dog
if used under the guidance of a certified trainer)
Dogs who Resist Walking on Leash
There are dogs who are reluctant to walk on leash—and instead of pulling, they
freeze or turn and pull back toward home. Often such dogs are fearful, and they
need a boost in confidence to feel comfortable walking on leash.
One approach is to lure the dog along by holding tasty treats in front
of his face. If the dog is not too afraid, he should follow the treats and
gradually will become more comfortable walking with you.
A second method is to stop a few feet in front of
the dog and wait when he freezes. If the dog shows any signs of moving toward
you, say “Yes!” and reach to the dog to deliver a treat. Walk a few more feet
away and again, wait for the dog to voluntarily move toward you. Praise and
reward the dog for forward movement only.
The third method is only appropriate for small-
to medium-sized dogs who will walk for stretches at a time, but then balk for no
apparent reason. Have the dog wear a regular body harness, and pick the dog up
by the back of the harness and move him a few feet along. This will often “jump
start” the dog to move again. Say “Yes!” and offer a treat when the dog begins
to move. Try to anticipate when the dog will balk and lure him along with treats
so that he never stops.
Whatever method you choose, sometimes it can help to start out by
walking the dog in less frightening environments. Instead of walking on a busy
road, opt for a quiet residential street or a path through the park. When the
dog develops a level of comfort in the low-key places, gradually progress to
busier areas.
Your dog may respond well if you ask him to engage in other
behaviors when he stops forward movement. Ask the dog to sit, down, make eye
contact, shake a paw, or execute any convenient behavior that he knows and
enjoys performing. Sometimes this helps the dog forget why he was nervous, and
so he begins walking again. Of course, you must always praise and reward him for
performing these behaviors.
Fearful and insecure dogs benefit from low-key exposure to the
world. Rather than going for a walk, try sitting on bench and just hang out with
the dog. Talk to him and periodically give him treats when you see any signs
that he’s relaxing in the situation.
