How do I get my dog to walk on a loose lead?

Loose lead walking looks so easy, but is a big, complex skill that takes lots of time and practice!

Lets break it down into easy steps:

Build that bond!

Your dog needs to be excited to work with you and focused. 

To help build that bond, we need to be a source of good things happening and someone they can trust for guidance. 

We can make good bonds by:

• Playing games
• Using reinforcers (play, food, movement, toys)
• Training using positive reinforcement to make training fun

Start small and easy

The best place to start your loose leash walking training is in the house. Wait for a quiet time with very little distractions. Up and down a hallway or around a large table is ideal. Alternatively a secure backyard would work as well.

Break it down into skills

The three main areas are: position, check-ins and leash handling skills.

Teaching position

Decide which side you want your dog to walk. It is important that the hand nearest your dog holds the treats. Let’s say you will walk your dog on the left, so place your treats in your left hand and hold the lead in your right.

Position your dog on your left and take one step forward. If your dog is with you, 'mark' (Clicker or verbal marker) and give him a treat. Take another step forward encouraging your dog to walk beside you with a pat to your leg and some happy positive words – all the time reinforce the choice to be close to you on a loose lead with those treats.

Take it slow right now. You don’t have to walk fast as long as your dog keeps with you. If he gets in front or pulls away, change direction and encourage him with a treat to come back to your left leg. You want your dog to think your left leg is the best place to be. Use a word to label what you are doing. Perhaps ‘close’ or ‘let’s go’. The name of the game is to keep that lead loose.

Check ins

Check ins are where the dog turns and looks at you. This helps them stay engaged while walking. To teach this we start with the dog at our side. Place a treat to the ground and while your dog is eating it, move a step or two ahead. When the dog has finished eating they will look up and move towards you. When they end up beside you, 'mark' the behaviour and place another treat to the ground. Move forward again and repeat the process again. Once your dog is looking up at you when walking, you can progress to reinforcing with a treat straight to their mouth. 

Slowly take more steps between reinforcing.

Leash Handling

So what happens if they do pull?

This is where leash handling skills are important. The leash needs to be a safety device, not a 'steering wheel'. This means instead of using the leash to move the dog into position, we are helping our dog to learn which position gets the reinforcer of a treat AND moving forward.

Make sure that your whatever side your dog is one, your hand delivering the reinforcer is on the same side. Hold the lead in the other hand with some slack on the lead. If they pull forward or to the side, then you will change direction and use your cue to get them to follow. This allows them a chance to perform the desired behaviour of walking in the desired position. 

Distractions and proofing

Repeat this training until you think your dog understands what you want from him. Once you are both doing well, take your training out into your yard. Repeat everything you have done but this time walk around your garden up and down your driveway. Once you are succeeding there, take your training to the footpath outside your home.

Keep sessions short and watch your dogs body language for frustration. 

Keeping that lead loose, walk up and down the front of your home encouraging your dog to walk with you just like you did inside your home. You might like to go a little further afield with your walking but not too far. Remember you are teaching your dog to walk on a loose lead not taking your dog for a walk.

One last thing, remember that your dog’s most powerful sense is his nose. Give your dog time to ‘smell the roses’ because this can be more tiring than actually walking.