What to do When your dog pulls on the leash?

What do you imagine when I ask you about a perfect walk with your dog?

This is a question I ask my students during week one of my Family Dog class for dogs over 6 months old. The answers are often very similar.

• Walking without pulling.

• Seeing other dogs with people and walking by without incident. Or stopping to say hi while the dogs wait patiently by their owners side.
• Stopping to play a nice game of fetch in a quiet grassy area.
• Letting your dog run on the beach with his friends, knowing that when you call him to go, he will bound over happily to let you leash him up.

Unfortunately, this is often not the reality. Instead, when I ask I hear the horror stories:

• Dogs dragging their owners along from tree to hydrant to random possible roadkill with no regard for the leash and the human hanging on.
• Seeing a dog and person come into view around the bend and barking excitedly, lunging towards them, or even backing off and trying to run away.
• Stop and say hi? Not possible with Cujo on the end of the leash- regardless of whether he is warning off the other dog or just excited to see them.
• Playing fetch? Running on the beach? Only if all you want to see is the tail end of your pooch disappearing in the distance as they head for the hills. Or if you plan on playing a stress-inducing game of keep away as you try to corral him to get the leash back on his collar.

Do any of these sound familiar to you? I’m sure they do for most people, with varying degrees of intensity. If you are one of the lucky ones who have a dog that is naturally good on a leash, kudos to you. If you are not, however, read on to see how you can begin to turn things around.

Why a walk is a beautiful training tool, if you use it right

In my opinion, a walk is not just an exercise- it is an opportunity to bond with your dog and deepen your relationship. How? By being present with your dog in the moment and focusing on training instead of focusing on getting from Point A to Point B. And by helping him focus on you.

Make the world a boring place!

One mistake I see often is the choice of location for newbie loose leash walkers. The world is a giant, crazy, great-smelling place with so much to distract a dog! When you make a commitment to loose leash walking, Rule #1? Start in a very boring place. Like your kitchen. Or your backyard. Someplace with no other people or dogs, and smells that your dog is already used to. That way you and your treat bag are the most interesting thing in the place, and your dog is much more able to focus on you.

Don’t focus on how far you go

When you start working on leash walking, forget walking three miles a day. If you focus on distance, you will get frustrated, because dogs who pull, pull more the longer they walk in a straight line. Instead, set your timer for fifteen minutes and say “For the next fifteen minutes, we will work on loose leash walking.” Don’t put an expectation on distance. You might only get to the end of your driveway. But do you want to know a secret? Your dog will get the same amount of exercise from circling around your driveway as he would hauling you along for a mile. And if you are also helping him be successful with loose leash walking, he will be mentally stimulated as well, which also tires a dog out. (In a good way!)

Start out with a plan, and stick to it

You are the boss of the team, not your dog. Before you step off, have a plan in mind. For my students, that includes changing direction if the dog starts to forge ahead or lag behind, watching for ‘check-ins’- that moment when your dog looks around to see if you are still there. Calling his name when he isn’t paying attention and rewarding him for looking around and coming back.

Run away from distractions

Since you want your dog to be successful, in the beginning, keep distractions to a minimum. If you see a person walking towards you, turn and leave (here is the perfect opportunity to practice calling your dog away with you, and rewarding his success!)

Set your dog up for success

Patience is so important. Remember that dogs learn best by being successful. You have to set your dog up for success. If he can only go two steps without pulling, then go two steps, stop and praise him. Then try again. Or, go two steps and change direction before he can forge too far ahead, then praise him for coming with you. Again- don’t go for distance. It may take lots of two step repetitions before your dog can get to three steps. Keep praising him for every two step success. And then, praise him for three steps and so forth. Loose leash walking is a marathon, not a race.

Make the world bigger when you have success

It may take some time- every dog is different. But once you see that your dog is successful in that boring place, you can venture out to a more public location. But be ready to ‘go back to kindergarten,’ meaning, suddenly the world is a whole lot more distracting for your dog. (People! Other dogs! Smells!) So, make the exercise much easier. Set your timer and- back to two steps and reward, change direction, reward. I promise he will remember and get better in this new distracting environment with your patience and attention.

Takeaway

In short, your journey to loose leash walking with your dog will be a lot happier and less stressful if you focus inward- on you and your dog and your small successes, instead of trying to walk two miles and get frustrated when your dog is pulling almost the whole way. With focused intention, your dog will be able to also focus on you. Your bond will grow. And you will become a team instead of a dog and a dog walker.

After all, isn’t that the real end goal? To be a team with the puppy you decided to bring into your family? It can happen with patience! Happy Training!