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Leash Manners

Why do dogs pull?

  1. Dogs are fast walkers, with twice the number of legs we have and the ability to balance on their toes (something we tend to only do when running, not walking). Simply put, humans are slooowpokes.
  2. We walk in a predictably straight line, at a constant speed. Dogs can easily anticipate where we will be, so they naturally conclude that they don’t need to pay special attention to our movement.
  3. There’s just so much to see and take in! All of the stimuli that don’t exist in the home are exciting and demand your dog’s attention. Not only are there exciting visual stimuli outdoors, there are smells that we, humans, can’t even perceive. Dogs have 300 million smell receptors versus our mere 6 million.
  4. We, as handlers, may have inadvertently rewarded our dogs for pulling by allowing them to reach whatever they were pulling towards (e.g., fire hydrant, telephone pole, dead squirrel, etc.) on a tight leash.

In short, there are many rational reasons your dog pulls on leash, and none of them involve them showing dominance or disrespect for you. So, how do we make our dogs good walkers? We can make ourselves fun and rewarding to be around, and show them that pulling won’t get them where they want to go, but walking there on a loose-leash will.

What is Loose Leash Walking?

Loose leash walking (LLW) is just that–walking your dog on a loose leash. LLW is not the same as heeling, which we’ll dig into below. It simply means that neither you nor the dog are putting pressure on your end of the leash. LLW has many benefits:

  • No pressure on your dog’s neck. Strong pullers can damage their trachea pulling on a collar, which is very dangerous.
  • Your dog doesn’t rely on the leash to stay near you, making it easier to transition to off-leash walking/hiking.
  • You and your dog will both enjoy walks more.

LLW Strategy: Be a Tree
When your dog pulls, stop where you are, anchoring the leash at your center of gravity and plant your feet like a tree. When your dog turns around, wondering why you stopped, mark the head turn with a click or your marker cue. (What’s a marker cue?) Immediately begin walking in the opposite direction and deliver the food reward to your dog when they are beside your knee. Then turn abruptly saying “this way!” and continue walking in the original direction.

What is Heeling?

Distinct from loose leash walking, “heel” simply refers to the position by your left knee. Teach your dog how to find heel position while stationary first, before you add any motion. Then, add one step of motion at a time. Heeling is not a sustainable walking mode and is best employed during times when you would otherwise use the traffic handle or a short leash to keep your dog close to you (e.g., going around the outside of a parked car in order to avoid someone/something on the sidewalk, passing a barky/lungy dog, passing any of your own dog’s triggers).

You can teach your dog to walk by both left and right side–“heel” for left side and “close” for right, although you can choose your own unique cues as long as you use them consistently. When introducing these cues, work on a single side per training session to avoid confusing your dog.

"Go Sniff" as a Reward

In your dog’s opinion, following their nose is way more engaging than walking in a straight line at their human’s side. Rather than competing with the allure of the scent trail, harness that power, and use it to reward good walking. 

Here’s how you start: work on keeping your dog engaged and/or heeling for 10-20 yards. Come to a slow stop, cue a sit, and while your dog is looking up at you, tell him “Go sniff!” and gesture to an area that looks safe and fun to sniff. When you’re ready to move on, use your walking cue “Let’s go!” and continue on your walk. Using distractions in the environment to reward your dog is a great way to wean off the use of food in training.

Management vs. Training (Harness vs. Collar)

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always have the time or energy to train my dog on every walk. For situations in which you can’t give your  dog your full attention, clip your leash to your dog’s harness instead of their collar in order to preserve all the careful training hours you’ve been putting in on the collar. The harness becomes a cue to the dog that it’s okay to pull; it’s never okay to pull when on the collar.

Harnesses: Front- vs. Back-Clip
Back-clip harnesses actually make it easier for dogs to throw their weight into the harness and pull hard (think sled dog). In contrast, when your dog tries to pulls on a front-clip harness, the leash redirects your dog back toward you, making it hard for your dog to pull. This is an effective management strategy — especially for big, strong dogs — but is not a replacement for proper leash manners training. For professional help with leash walking skills, contact Kuma Dog Training for an initial consultation today.

Top front-clip harness picks:

Example of a Puppy Learning Loose Leash Walking

Watch Meli go from an unruly puppy to a very polite walker in two easy sessions over the course of a single day!

In the beginning of the video, you can see the result of trying to use the leash to control Meli. In short, it doesn’t work! Instead, I taught Meli two games to show her that it pays to stay close and move with me:

  1. n-Step Heel & Sit
  2. Step & Treat

The focus Meli has on me by the end of the video as we walk up and down the pathway is incredible. She was a delight to teach and your dog can be too! Try to remember to work WITH your dog, not against. If you’ve tried out these exercises and still want more guidance, contact Kuma Dog Training for an initial consultation today.

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