How to train a dog to walk on a leash without pulling?
Adrain Spinka
2025-07-21 02:10:21
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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. Teaching your dog to walk with a loose lead takes a great deal of patience and time.
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.
Practice without the lead to begin with, then you can start to introduce it once your dog is reliably following you. 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. Be consistent with your training each time you go out with your dog, this may take time but will be well worth the effort in the end.
Sanford Bergnaum
2025-07-20 23:24:52
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The good news is you can train your dog to walk nicely on the lead using reward-based training. Dogs will pull on the lead if they’re excited or if they have lots of energy, so it may be worth making sure your dog has some playtime and a chance to run so they pull less when you’re out walking them. When you first start training, it’s best to have a long play session beforehand. This will tire your dog out a little so they don’t want to pull as much. The best way to stop your dog from pulling is to show them that walking on a loose lead gets a reward and pulling doesn’t. As soon as your dog starts pulling, stop walking. Never pull their lead back, just wait for them to stop pulling. Once there is slack in the lead again, reward them and continue walking. Make sure you give your dog plenty of praise and treats when they are walking with slack in the lead. Practice in quiet areas at first so your dog doesn’t get distracted. Be patient with your dog as it’ll take time for them to break the habit. Never punish your dog for pulling – they will learn much faster with positive training.
Jaiden Lowe
2025-07-20 22:38:08
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To teach your dog to walk on a loose leash you will need a collar or harness, a leash, and treats. Fill your pocket or treat pouch with treats and decide what side you’d like the dog to walk on, and hold a few treats on that side of your body. Hold your leash in the hand opposite the dog, let the rest of it hang loosely in a “J”. Take a step, then stop, feed the dog some treats from your hand, in line with the seam of your pants, this will help you position the dog. Repeat, take step, stop, feed a treat at your side, along the seam of your pants, when the dog is looking eagerly up at you for more treats, take two steps instead of one before stopping and feeding the dog. If the dog pulls ahead, stop walking immediately, call your dog back to you, or use the treats in your hand to lure the dog back to your side, but don't treat her yet, take two to three steps forward before feeding. Gradually take more steps between each treat, you can talk to your dog to help keep her attention on you. When the dog walks well on a loose leash, give this kind of walk a name, it could be “heel,” “with me,” “let’s walk,” or another word/phrase of your choice. RELEASE your dog when they no longer need to walk in “heel” position.
Jed Mitchell
2025-07-20 21:45:39
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Start by standing still and quiet. Allow your dog the full length of their lead. Remain still and quiet when your dog is ignoring you, but the split second he pays attention to you, praise him and give him a treat. Once you have your dog's attention, you can move off - use your voice and treats to encourage your dog to stay close to you when walking. Always reward your dog when they're walking on a loose 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.
Practise this in short and regular sessions. Place something on the floor your dog would like to get to, such as a toy. 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. Make the area around you fun and rewarding so that your dog enjoys being closer to you. Lots of encouragement through praise and treats will stop him racing to his destination.
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