Methods to Teach Your Dog to Walk on a Loose Lead.
One of the hardest things to teach your dog is how to walk on a loose lead. However with a step-by-step process, some consistent handling, fixed rules and a little patience, it can be surprisingly quick to train your dog.
- A Dog Will Repeat Behaviour it Finds Rewarding.
Therefore, ensure that it becomes more rewarding to stay at your side than anywhere else.
Question: What reward does a dog usually want when going for a walk?
Answer: For you to take another step forward.
- Pressure Will Create Counter Pressure.
If you pull on the lead in one direction, your dog will pull at least as hard in the opposite direction. If you pull backwards, your dog will learn to pull forwards. Therefore, ensure that your lead is not tight. A tight lead will teach a dog to pull.
- An excited Dog Finds it Harder to Learn.
Be patient! Have practice sessions during the day, every day. Don’t just wait until you are going for a walk.
- Remember: a dog is always learning.
Every time your dog has his lead on, he is learning. Ensure that he is learning the right things.
There are a few different ways of getting a dog to walk on a loose lead i.e. under control and not pulling. Different dogs & different people suit different methods, so it is important to keep trying even if the first one or two methods don’t seem to work well for you or your dog. Although each method is a little different, your dog should always be walking on the same side (we teach dogs to walk on ones left).
You may find using a combination of the following works well. Don’t give up and remember actions speak louder than words! Only talk to your dog when he is not pulling.
Teaching Using a Lure
This involves the use of food rewards and initially without a lead.
- Start in a quiet non-distracting area – your kitchen would be ideal. Take a large handful of your dog’s daily diet in your right hand. Pluck one piece out with your left hand and lure him into position beside your left leg. To lure, simply hold the biscuit (if necessary wiggle on the end of your dog’s nose) and move it slowly to position him with his front legs parallel with yours. The moment he is in the correct spot mark with ‘Good’ and release the food into his mouth. Feed your dog his entire meal by your left side, piece by piece every 3 seconds.
- In the next session, begin once again with a large handful of your dog’s daily diet in your right hand. Lure your dog beside your left leg, again mark with ‘Good’ and reward him. Take another biscuit in your left hand and, holding it on the end of his nose, take 3 steps forward before saying ‘Good’ and rewarding him with the food lure. Remember to keep your arm rigid and close by to your left leg. Quickly pluck another piece of your dog’s diet from your right hand as you lure him for another 3 paces (approx.3 second reward intervals). Keep repeating this stage until he is keenly following the lure.
- Once your dog will eagerly follow you and the lure, it is time to begin to reward as opposed to lure. Stand up straight, with a piece of food in your left hand. Encourage your dog to your left side, slap your left thigh and walk forwards. Your dog should follow. After three paces mark with ‘Good’ followed by the reward of food from your left hand. If your dog does not follow too enthusiastically, go back to luring for a little longer.
- It’s now time to introduce and teach the cue of ‘Heel’. Only use this cue word the split second before you move off (at no other time) so for your dog to learn the cue of ‘Heel’ practice at least 6 stops and starts in each session.
- Gradually increase the number of paces between rewards. When your dog is capable of remaining by your side with 6 – 10 paces between rewards in an area with minimum distractions introduce the lead! Do remember to keep the lead loose – any tension from you will create counter-tension. Use obstacles like fences, walls, ditches to help keep your dog snug to your left leg by walking close to the obstacle so that you can also body block him when necessary.
- Now it is time to start varying your reward types and the timing they are given. Aim to use rewards approximately every 15-20 paces when there are no distractions and every 3 paces when there are distractions.
Tips
- When out walking your dog remember to try and read the walk – look ahead and be attentive to any distraction approaching that will likely tempt your dog to pull. Watch your dog and the moment he spots the distraction, be pro-active and increase your interaction with your dog. It may well be necessary to increase the frequency of your rewards to every 3 seconds until you have passed it. This will magnetize you so your dog will continue to walk on a loose lead.
- Be fun, engaging and unpredictable – Vary your speed and direction. This will be more interesting for your dog and keep your dog far more attentive on what you are doing rather than what he would like to do.
- Remember always to follow the sequence: – ‘Good’ smile, praise and reward your dog for good behaviour, don’t just punish the bad. However, if your dog does pull, there are a variety of consequences that you can use to discourage him from doing it again.
A Dog that Pulls
Consequence for pulling – Stumble
As soon as the dog pulls, pretend to stumble into him. Imagine that he has got underneath your feet and tripped you up. This works well if your dog is slightly sensitive (not too much or you’ll frighten the wits out of him/ her and not too little or he might not notice you’ve done it). Keep doing this until the dog starts to think ‘oh no I caused my lovely friend to fall over’, or ‘I’d better not pull anymore or I’ll get trodden on. This is very unpleasant.’ The dog should become more aware of your presence and will probably start looking up at you along the way for assurance that you won’t do it again.
Consequence for pulling – Stop and jiggle back
A reward can be anything which a dog wants at that moment. Therefore, if he is pulling and you take a step forward, in his mind he is being rewarded for pulling and so he will repeat this behaviour. You then get a dog that pulls at all times, because in his mind it is pulling which makes you take him to the park. He probably does not pull as much on the way home as he is less keen to get back.
Therefore, you need to ensure that he is only rewarded with another step forward when he is right beside you. If he pulls forward, even slightly, all progress stops. You immediately stand still without saying anything. Bring him back to your side with irritating little tugs on the lead as you take a step back (particularly with larger breeds). When he is standing or sitting quietly, in the right place, reward him verbally, then ask him in a pleasant tone to ‘Heel’ and walk on again.
Consequence for pulling – Thrust forward
As he pulls ahead push your right arm down the lead and thrust him further forward pulling him ahead on the lead. As you do so, perform a right about turn and smartly walk in the opposite direction so that you are now in front of your dog. Repeat as many times as is necessary to make the dog realize how pointless pulling you is.
Consequence for pulling – Quick right about turn
This method is particularly useful for when a dog lunges. As soon as he pulls ahead or lunges, allow your right arm (which is holding the end of the lead) to come across your body as you complete a sharp right about turn 180° on the spot and smartly march 3-4 paces in the direction you have just come from; the weight of your body and the turn will enable even the largest dog to be maneuvered under control.
A Dog That ‘Puts The Brakes on’
Firstly we need to ascertain why your dog is refusing to move, so briefly check to see if your dog is needing to pee or defecate. If it is due to being fearful to a particular stimulus or sight briefly encourage your dog as you take a large curve out of the way of the perceived ‘fearful stimulus’ (it may even be necessary to cross the road).
Step 1
If you find that your dog is simply ‘dragging his heels’, the best thing to do is to keep walking. (If you stop, you will only be rewarding his demands for you to stop). As soon as the lead slackens between you both, and he starts to catch you up, encourage him verbally with a big smile. Then, after he maintains walking to heel by your side for two to three paces, reward him verbally and then with a small piece of food.
Step 2
Then for the next two to three days start to condition him on all walks, if he walks well for ten paces, reward him with ‘Good’ and immediately give him a small piece of food (more frequently if there is a distraction).
Step 3
After this is being maintained without too many full stops from your dog, build up to approximately twenty paces of good heeling before saying ‘Good’ and offering a reward. Rewards can then gradually start to vary in type and amounts of food, games or verbal and physical praise.
Bonus Tip
Keeping him surprised with the reward you offer and being unpredictable in your speed and course of direction will all help your dog improve in walking on a loose lead.
