Simple loose leash walking is what most dog owners are looking for. Your dog walks at your pace and there is always some slack on the leash. How awesome would that be, huh?
I’m going to tell you a secret. All of these things; pulling your dog next to you, holding the leash super short, correcting your dog for pulling – do NOT work! Those methods do a much better job of irritating both you and your dog! Of course, you probably know this because you have tried them and are here looking for help.
The key to having a dog that does not pull on the leash is teach your dog that tension on the leash is NOT normal. The very first thing you need to teach your dog is that when he pulls or puts tension on the leash, we immediately stop. Again, tension on the leash means that we go nowhere.
Second task of the loose leash: Bring yourself into your dog’s equation. If he is mindlessly pulling you along, you are just not part of it! After you stop dead in your tracks, your dog must turn his head to look at your face. I generally say, “hey” rather than the dog’s name. The instant that he looks me in the face, say, “ok” in a benevolent tone and crisply move forward again. The stop and go of this method in the beginning is well worth it in the long run. A dog that can discern tension on the leash and understands that you must be dealt with when tension occurs cannot be a puller. Pulling is completely incompatible once this is accomplished. Keep your initial walks at 15-20 minutes in the beginning so that you both stay fresh with the protocols. Do as many of these short walks per day as you are able until your dog is no longer pulling.
