Loose lead walking is built on three principles:
- The dog has to know to walk and move when and where you move, and
- The dog has to learn that a tight lead means something is wrong, and
- The dog has to be in an environment in which they can cope emotionally
Setting up for Success – Holding the Lead
Part 1 – moving with you
To teach a dog to learn to move as you move on a lead they firstly have to learn to keep an eye on you. They then need to build value for moving with you on either your left or right hand side. It is easier for the dog if you pick a side and stick to it and have your treat bag on that side to help remind your dog that you are in treat dispensing mode. I teach using the left hand side for all new dogs and approximately a 1.5m lead which allows the dog some natural behaviour without allowing them to inadvertently reward themselves but going too far away from you, holding the lead in your right hand so that your left hand is free to give them treats and hand signals (dogs learn better with hand signals). Dogs also need to trained on a well fitted harness with plenty of distance between their collar and the harness so that, if they do pull, there is no direct pressure on their trachea or soft tissues.
You can start training the building blocks for loose lead walking without even leaving the house by training them to look at you AND by playing games where your dog is rewarded for being on your left hand side. Too often owners do all their training facing their dog and that then feels like the position the dog should be in when you go out. You can teach LOOK by holding a treat by your dogs nose and lifting up to your eyes and saying look. As soon as they look at you, then you give them the treat. After a few repetitions you can simply use the hand signal and verbal cue and mark the moment they look up at you with a good and give them a treat.
Once your dog understands how to LOOK at you to get a treat then you can start to practice this inside the house while moving slowly.
The other prompt I tend to introduce is HEEL which means move off with me. Not all dogs need to know this as for some LOOK will automatically get them following you.
You can see in the first section of the case study video at the bottom of this article though that I’m using HEEL when luring her to move from sitting into heelwork.
You can also play games where the dog learns to touch your hand, sit, down, spin or back up, and recall all on your left hand side. These can again be taught inside and on the left hand side to help punctuate loose lead walking and make being in that position feel fun and right.
Once you and your dog have mastered moving together in the house you’ll also need lots of short practice walks outside. In the video I’m using plain dried dog food in the house but once outside I’ve added in some cubes of cheese to help her stay connected with me. Note that I never have to use the lead to move my dog or signal to them that I need their attention. Using the lead like this can make your dog hate the lead and will erode the trust in you that they need to move effectively with you.
When you’ve managed short practice walks you can then start deliberately adding in some distractions for them to walk past, starting with mild distractions at a distance your dog is only mildly distracted and then increasing. Annie lives with Lawrence the black Labrador so this is actually only a mild distraction for her, the blue cones however have been used for searching so these are more distracting.
Part 2 – When the lead goes tight
The other aspect to loose-lead walking is what you should do if the dog doesn’t walk on your left hand-side or give you their attention and instead pulls on the lead. It is important that you don’t give your dog attention and instead stop and wait for them to release the pressure on the lead. A tight lead is a signal to your dog that the walk will stop unless they take the pressure off the lead again. As soon as they reconnect with you then you can start to give them attention and playing treat dispensing games again. If the lead keeps going tight then you will need to practice in a more distraction free environment before progressing. It goes without saying that if you pull the lead tight on purpose you are making it hard for your dog to understand the rules of the game you are playing.
Part 3 – Coping emotionally
Puppies learn very early in life about which environments are safe and comfortable. If you have re-homed an adult dog OR if your puppy missed out on early socialisation to a variety of environments while less than 16 weeks then it may be very difficult for them to cope with loose lead walking in certain environments or in the face of certain distractions. At the very end of the video, we are approached by a large unknown dog and she freezes at the end of the lead. It is really important to recognise when your dog is overwhelmed like this and to discontinue training. An overwhelmed dog isn’t being naughty they are simply not able to process what you are asking of them in the face of their overwhelm. If this happens then you may need a behaviourist to help learn how to positive associations and desensitise them to their triggers, please contact me now for support here https://www.harmony.dog/contact/.
Case Study Video – Puppy Annie