Loose Leash Walking
By Benah Stiewing
In order to train a pleasant, enjoyable loose leash walk for you and your dog, we must first recognize that walking in a straight line at a steady pace may seem simple to us, but to your dog it’s an incredibly unnatural behavior. Leashes prevent dogs from doing what is natural to them: roaming, sniffing, and generally exploring the world! Though our goal is to have our dogs walk at a steady pace near our side, understanding the difficulty of what we’re asking can help inform our training going forward.
In order to train a leash walking behavior, first we need to identify our criteria. Do you want your dog at your side, in front, or behind? Do you want a leash to be loose with a J shape, or is it okay for it to be taut? Where are you going to be walking your dog - a rural road where you might only see a few people, or a busy city street where other people and dogs are a constant? The more consistent we can be with our expectations, the more clarity we can provide our dogs and set them up for success.
Next, let’s consider your walking equipment! We prefer a front-clip harness, especially if you’re new to or struggling with your leash walking journey. View our Recommended Gear Page to check out all our favorite walking equipment! When you select your leash, refer back to your pre-selected criteria. If you want your dog walking at your side and you live in an urban environment, a shorter leash (5-6 feet) is going to make the most sense. If you want your dog in front of you and live in a more rural environment, a long-line (10-30 feet) will make more sense.
Now we are ready to begin walking! The first concept we want to teach is giving in to leash pressure. Dogs pull because usually, it works! If they pull you towards that good sniff, they will generally be successful. If they don’t pull towards that sniff, they won’t get to enjoy the activity and the otherwise boring walk will continue. Loose leash walking is all about teaching your dog that it is more reinforcing to remain close to you, so we start by letting our dog know that when the leash tightens, this is a cue to give in to the pressure from the leash rather than pulling against it.
Teaching Give to Leash Pressure:
Step 1: With your dog on a leash, make some space between you (see video linked below for
visual example!) and add a light amount of tension in the leash. This level of tension should
be about pinky-finger strength, so not very much at all! Watch your dog carefully, and pay
attention to that feeling of leash pressure as you stand stationary. As soon as your dog
moves to release the pressure in any way, even if that isn't looking back at you directly, mark
with your clicker or verbal marker and offer your reward close to your knee.
Step 2: Repeat! Again, apply a slight amount of tension, stand still, and watch for your dog
to move in a way that releases that tension. As soon as they do, mark and offer your reward
from your hand placed at your knee so that your dog has to come back towards you all the
way to retrieve it.
Step 3: Move around a bit, find different places to rehearse this skill! Remember, for this
stage of the exercise, your dog doesn't need to look back at you all the way. They just need
to give in to the leash pressure and work to release the tension on the leash rather than
adding to it. When you are seeing your dog quickly turn back to you when they feel leash
pressure, you can start adding in a few steps backwards before you reward so that they are
following and engaging with you for longer each time they check in.
Watch a video on how to give in to leash pressure:
Start practicing this game indoors, in a low-distraction environment! As your dog is successful, start to add in distractions (like your friend or partner doing jumping jacks). Eventually, take the game outside! Can your dog give in to leash pressure in the backyard, on your front porch, on the sidewalk in front of your house? On walks, start to generalize the behavior. When your dog pulls you towards a certain area, stop moving and wait for them to redirect their attention back to you. When they do, mark, and reward by allowing them to continue moving. On walks, we can use movement as reinforcement! It’s a lot more fun to walk than stand still and do nothing, so use that to your advantage.
Teaching your dog to meet your expectations for loose leash walking is no easy task - it’s a complex behavior that requires consistency and effort. If you’re struggling, consider our Loose Leash Walking virtual course! This course, developed and taught by certified dog trainers, is a comprehensive dive into teaching your dog leash skills, and transitioning those skills into the world. Not ready to enroll? Check out our Loose Leash Walking Playlist on YouTube!
If you want additional support for you and your dog, we offer in-person Group Classes and Private Lessons in Fort Collins, Colorado and Chatham, New York, and virtual coaching right in the comfort of your home. As you work through your dog’s leash walking, it’s vital to remember that your dog is simply being a dog and working to access what is reinforcing - the more we can understand this and pay our dogs well for desired behavior, the better we may serve our dogs.
Summit Dog Training offers group dog training classes & private lessons in Fort Collins, Colorado, as well as online self-study courses & online private lessons for education on how to live the best life with your dog! If you are looking for more training support, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We’d love to help you and your dog get ready for any adventure.