How do I get my dog to slow down when walking?
Jeanne Mante
2025-08-05 11:53:42
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: 19
When heading out the door, do you picture a leisurely stroll with your pooch at your side. If it’s a struggle to get your dog to walk calmly at your side, follow these five steps to teach your pup good leash manners. Opt for a four- or six-foot leash instead. Stop moving or walk in the opposite direction When you’re out walking your dog, and they begin to pull, immediately come to a stop. Don’t budge until your dog stops pulling, calms down, and either returns to your side or looks back at you. If this does not work to calm your dog, turn and walk in the opposite direction. Reward your dog for calm behavior during your walks. Doling out treats on an unpredictable schedule as you walk also can help keep your pooch at your side.
Jordane Beer
2025-08-04 00:57:53
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To make sure you’re safe from being pulled over, it’s important to teach them to walk calmly. One of the most common reasons dogs pull on their lead is because they’ve learned that’s how they get to move forward. Whenever your dog pulls, taking just one step with them gives a clear signal that pulling works. Stop walking when the lead starts to tighten, teach your dog that walking next to you with a loose lead means they get to move forward – and pulling means they don’t. The second the lead starts to tighten, stop walking. Stand still, keep quiet and don’t move forward again until the lead is slack. Teaching your dog to walk with a loose lead takes a great deal of patience and time. You need to teach your dog that being near you pays off. Reward your dog when they are by your side. Consistency is key, be consistent with your training each time you go out with your dog.
Nathaniel O'Kon
2025-07-25 16:27:23
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Start by standing still and quiet. Allow your dog the full length of their lead. If your dog moves too far away from you before the lead goes tight, stop and be still and quiet until they pay attention and move closer to you. Reward and move off again. This must happen every single time your dog moves away. Walking around distractions can cause dogs to pull. If your dog pulls on the lead to get towards the toy, stop and call them towards you. Their reward for walking on a loose lead is getting to the toy. This way, the dog learns that pulling slows things down. Always reward your dog when they're walking on a loose lead. Lots of encouragement through praise and treats will stop him racing to his destination.
Destini Thiel
2025-07-14 07:28:44
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: 12
If the harness is as it should be, a longer leash might be the answer - it very often is. We suggest beginners start with a 4 m (13 ft) leash and then move onto longer leashes, such as 5 or 10 m (16 to 32 ft), if the environment allows it. Speaking of environments, long, monotonous straight lines, such as roads and curbs, may encourage more hurrying and pulling while varied terrain will entice our dog to explore and move in a slower, more mindful way. More things to sniff and investigate, like bushes, trees, and various objects, will cause dogs to slow down, while bare environments do the contrary, so sometimes it's enough to move to the edge of the space. The walk may simply be too long. Try taking shorter walks and see what happens. Let's try to really slow down and see what happens. It's also important to stop and wait each time our dog stops to sniff something, relieve herself or observe, so she does not feel rushed.
Isom Bergstrom
2025-07-14 05:28:34
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: 15
Training your dog to walk slowly won’t be easy, unfortunately. This is particularly the case on walks. This is often the highlight of his day and he's understandably excited and eager to tear around and sniff everything he can. Training, therefore, will consist of motivating him to walk slowly and using a mixture of positive and negative reinforcement to achieve the end result. You can train while you’re on your walks each day so you don’t need to set aside any time. You do need to walk him somewhere where he won’t get easily distracted by pets, people, and traffic, though. A short or an extendable leash will be needed. You may also want to use a body harness to reduce the strain on his neck. Make sure you top up on his favorite food or treats, they’ll be used to incentivize the slow walk. Once you’ve got all of that you just need a patient attitude and you’re ready to start!
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