How to stop a dog from getting tangled in the leash?

To stop a dog from getting tangled in the leash, training a dog to untangle their own leash on walks rather than you needing to squat down and do it for them is a very simple skill to teach. You can start by teaching your dog to lift their front legs when they feel the leash, put the leash under your dog’s leg close to their paw, and then wiggle the leash a little bit so that they can feel it. When they lift their paw, say your marker word and reward even the smallest paw lift as you free the leash. As your dog gets better at this you’ll practice with a leash higher and higher up their leg. Once your dog has learned to quickly lift their paw to release the leash with both front legs, then you can add a cue word, such as "fix your leash". Rehearse this many times so your dog lifts their paw to free the leash as soon as they’re asked to. You should also practice the skill from a standing position since that emulates real life and walks. Additionally, practice with their back legs, in a standing position with a leash at various heights on your dog’s BACK legs now. Within a few sessions you should be able to ask your dog to fix their own leash out on walks without you having to bend over and fumble with it.

If your dog’s harness has fastenings on the front and back we recommend attaching the long-line to the back fastening as this keeps it further from their feet and should help prevent them getting tangled. To prevent tangling, hold the line with two hands, with the hand closest to the dog managing the slack of the line and the other hand holding the rest of the line and the handle, if there is one. Keep an eye on the length of line your dog has, as too much slack can cause you to get tangled up and even lose control especially if you are in a busy environment. If you or your dog do start to get tangled, try to stop your dog from moving, and if they’re food motivated, throw some treats on the floor to divert their attention and keep them still while you untangle. Without a handle the long-line should move more safely across the ground and should avoid getting caught as easily on things like branches.

Choose a shorter leash. Teach your pup to walk by your side. Don't use a retractable leash. If using a front harness clip, also attach it to the collar. Teach your dog to “fix it” by capturing the behavior with treats and praise when they do it themselves. Some dogs never learn to untangle themselves when the leash goes under one or more legs, even with efforts to teach them how to do this. Safety is the main reason you should care about keeping the leash properly organized. It can be dangerous if the leash wraps completely around a leg, and a leash that is out of place can cause a dog to be off balance.

When your dog is playing with another dog on-leash, both people on the other end of the leash must circle. If you do this, you’ll never have to pass leashes back and forth with another person. The reason the leashes get tangled is because the dogs whirl around each other while playing. So if the people circle in the same direction, the leashes never tangle. Try it for yourself. You see, the reason the leashes get tangled is because the dogs whirl around each other while playing, in a circle.