Everyone wants their dog to walk nicely on leash - not pulling, staying by your side, and stopping when you stop. They may not realize that this is one of the hardest things we expect our dogs to do. It’s completely unnatural for dogs to:
Walk much more slowly than their natural pace when exploring - a quick trot.
Come to a sudden and inexplicable stop at seemingly random times - curbs/street crossings are not obvious to dogs.
Ignore most of the awesome smells around them - the main way dogs take in information.
Primarily walk in straight, boring lines - going right past interesting bushes and puddles and holes in the ground.
Not chase after small animals like squirrels, chipmunks, cats, and birds - most dogs have this predatory instinct, or at least curiosity.
Not be able to greet their own kind naturally - as the leash restricts their movements, if they’re even allowed to say hello in the first place.
Be forced to go closer to something that makes them nervous - most reactive dogs are calmer when off leash, because they can simply move away from their triggers.
It’s really a lot to ask of them! This is why it’s normal to spend a long time teaching your dog to walk well on leash.
Once you’ve made progress, keep in mind that it’s also normal for your dog’s skills to regress if:
you don’t walk him regularly
he’s extra full of energy that day
there are more distractions than usual
you take him to a new place
some family members let the dog pull on the leash instead of participating in training
How you can help your dog succeed with polite leash walking
Here are tips to improve your walks, before you even get to training:
Give your dog exercise at home before the walk, such as playing fetch or flirt pole.
Drive to a park, but let your dog run off leash or on a long line to tire him out and let him get used to the area. Then put on your leash and practice walking together.
Practice in the back yard first, then head out after your dog is warmed up.
If you are using treats, make sure to bring a lot, and have them in a treat pouch or other place you can quickly and easily pull them out. Do not bring plastic bags, as they close up and slow you way down.
Use high value treats so that you can better compete against the excitement of the environment.
Measure your walk by time passed, not distance. When you are implementing training, you may end up stopping a lot or doubling back over areas you’ve already walked. You may not get as far from the house, but your dog will still be getting physical and mental exercise.
Don’t multi-task. This isn’t the time to scroll on the phone, have the kids bike alongside you, or let your mind wander. You must be focused so that you can respond quickly and appropriately to your dog.
If you have multiple dogs, walk them one at a time. It is extremely difficult to train walking with more than one dog at the same time, since you will need to be changing your speed and direction depending on what the dog is doing moment by moment.
The right equipment
This also makes a huge difference in your ability to train your dog safely and effectively.
Leashes:
Use a 4-6’ foot leash, not a retractable leash. See here for links to specialty leashes. Retractable leashes do not give you enough control, do not set clear criteria for the dog, and encourage pulling (because the dog gets where he wants to go by pulling, which is the exact opposite of what we want).
Recently I have been having a lot of success using a leash belay set up for big, strong dogs.
Harnesses:
If your dog pulls hard enough to choke himself on a collar, use a harness. I like to use harnesses proactively to protect the dog’s throat, before I even start training a puppy.
Traditional harnesses, with the leash clipping over the dog’s back, are fine for small dogs and large dogs who don’t pull. If your dog does pull, they’re not a good choice, because they allow the dog to dig in and pull comfortably, just like a sled dog!
“No pull” or “front clip” harnesses, with the leash clipping in front of the dog’s chest, are a much better choice for medium and larger dogs who pull.
Head halters:
If your dog is very large or strong, and you have a difficult time controlling him even with a properly-fitted no pull harness, I recommend using a head halter.
Note that most dogs hate head halters if they are introduced to them without desensitization. Do not just put one on and go! Watch tutorials online or get in-person help from a trainer first.
Collars:
I do not recommend the use of prong collars and especially not choke chains or slip leads. These tools are intended to work by intentionally causing pain to your dog. While this may decrease pulling, it can lead to increased fear, reactivity, and aggression. (AVSAB Position Statement on Humane Dog Training, Dog Training Science Resources) Choke chains and slip leads can be especially harmful due to tightening without limit on the dog’s throat.
Martingales or “limited slip” collars keep escape artists from being able to back out of a collar.
You may be thinking, “Won’t my dog learn not to pull against his collar because he’s choking himself?” Sadly, the answer is no. For many, many dogs, their excitement and arousal, combined with how unnatural it is to walk slowly at our sides, means that they don’t slow down to prevent themselves from choking. I have seen dogs not just choke and gag, but have their tongues turn blue and vomit due to their insistent pulling on collars. Pressure against the throat can damage the trachea, esophagus, lymph nodes, thyroid glands, veins and arteries, and neck muscles. It is even known to increase intraocular pressure, thus can damage your dog’s eyeballs! So it is critical to protect our dogs when it comes to collar pressure.
Training techniques
Polite leash walking is one of those things that can be taught several different ways. You may need to experiment to find the right combination for you and your dog. The thing that all of these techniques will have in common is:
Rewarding your dog when he is walking nicely at your side.
Preventing your dog from successfully pulling you on a tight leash.
I switch between specific techniques depending on the training history and temperament of the dog, and the skill level and temperament of the owner. I will send you separate articles on the techniques I recommend for you and your dog.
One last note on walking pace
Often successful leash walking depends on altering both the dog’s and the human’s pace. Experiment with walking more quickly and more slowly - sometimes if you try to match your dog’s pace, they just speed up more and more!
You’ll also want to watch what pace your dog moves at. This video by Emily Larlham has a great tip for those walking puppies who will grow up to be medium or large sized adults.