How do you positively reinforce a dog training leash pulling?

Reward your dog when they are by your side. You need to teach your dog that being near you pays off. Starting in your home or garden where it’s calmer, reward your dog for sitting or standing by your side. As you move forward, reward your dog whenever they are by your side. When they begin to get the hang of it, slowly increase the time and distance between rewards. 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.

When your dog pulls, call their name and start walking in the opposite direction. Mark and reward when they’re at your side. As long as the dog continues to walk with a loose leash, continue on in that new direction. If they pull, turn again and repeat this whole process. This simple game is a fantastic way to build more engagement from your dog on walks and have them pay attention to where you are. This helps a lot with leash pulling. By burning off a little of your dogs excess energy at the start of the walk & reinforcing them for re-orienting to you by default. You’re now reinforcing checking in & following you as your dogs default behaviour. My preference with dog training is always to reward the behaviors that I want to see, which in this case means rewarding longer and longer durations of maintaining a loose leash while still continuing to move.

We support the LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) approach to dog training. The tips and advice here cannot replace a qualified certified trainer or veterinary behaviorist - if you are struggling please consider these resources for your dog. I tried gentle leader collar but she's uncomfortable and slip leash but she ignores and still pulls to the point of choking herself. After reading things about leash collar, I've decided to do positive reinforcement. However, treats and pets do not work when we are outside as she's very stimulated about what's going around. I do not know what reward i should give so that she would register everytime she does something good. So how do I correct her when she pulls using positive reinforcement training only? And what should I reward her cuz treats and pets dont work during walks but does word when were inside the house. Is it possible to train it using Positive reinforcement only?

When walking together is a comfortable and positive experience, you’re providing your dog with stress-relieving exercise, sensory stimulation and enrichment, socialization opportunities, and skill building. To begin leash walking, but the most important one is to be patient as it can take time for both of you to develop the skills needed to handle and walk well on the leash. When you feel a comfortable looseness in the leash, because she is not pulling, give her a treat. Periodically pause to allow your dog to take sniffing breaks or practice the Go Sniff skill. Attach the leash to your dog’s collar or harness and hold the other end of the leash in a one-handed lock. Step outside to a safe area where it’s not too busy and give your dog freedom to set the pace. Notice how she naturally moves, the direction she takes, and how long she spends exploring the environment. Carry small food treats, plus poop cleanup bags, and perhaps a water bottle.

Positive reinforcement essentially involves rewarding the good behavior you’d like to see, instead of punishing negative behavior you don’t want. Whenever your dog displays good behavior on walks, immediately praise her and give her a treat. That way she’ll link walking calmly with pleasant rewards. Give your dog a reason to pay closer attention to your movements by being unpredictable. Stop and change direction, and when your dog turns to catch back up, reward her. You can turn it into a game — when your dog runs toward you, use a super-excited voice, give her lots of praise, and make it fun for her to follow you. Being consistent is really important when it comes to eliminating leash-pulling, try to let your dog walk only when the leash is slack to really embed the new habit. When your dog starts pulling, stop and stand still, don’t pull back on the lead—just stand still and keep the leash tight, eventually, your dog should look back at you, praise and reward her with a treat, then proceed on your walk.