7 Effective Leash Training Tips
March is here and we are all excited for the coming spring weather. While I love a beautiful winter hike, I’m ready for warmer temperatures and sunshine! If your dog lacks on leash manners, this can quickly ruin the experience for you (and everyone else around you). Let’s go back to the basics with these simple, yet effective, leash training tips…
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We’ve all seen it before (or been there firsthand) – the dog that LOVES being outside but lacks any concept of proper leash manners. I’m talking about the dog that pulls uncontrollably and jumps at any person that they pass. It’s a situation that’s not only frustrating and embarrassing for you as the owner, but it can also lead to an unsafe situation for all involved.
If this sounds familiar, you may find yourself tempted to simply avoid taking your pup out altogether. After all, who wants to deal with that stress? That walk time is incredibly important for your dog. It provides him/her with much needed physical activity (pet obesity is a serious problem), but it also provides the mental stimulation necessary to keep your dog both HAPPY and HEALTHY. Isn’t that the ultimate goal as a pet owner?
Before your pack away that leash for good, let’s take a step back. As with most other behavioural concerns, leash manners start with some basic training concepts – habits, both good and bad, that are formed and then ingrained into their daily routine. Consider that for a moment… a dog that pulls at the leash isn’t a bad dog, it’s simply a dog that has been taught that a bad habit is acceptable.
Good news: Habits can be changed!
The amount of time and energy necessary to retrain your dog’s leash habits will depend on how long they have been allowed to engage in a bad habit. If you just adopted an older dog, they’ve likely been pulling on the leash for a number of years. That doesn’t mean that you can’t retrain your pup, it will just take hard work and dedication. You’ve got this!
Please Note: There are always going to be some extenuating circumstances. If you have rescued a dog that has had a traumatizing experience involving a leash in the past, basic leash training isn’t going to be enough. In situations like this, you should contact a dog trainer to discuss your options. You wouldn’t expect the victim of a major car crash to just hop back in a car like it’s nothing, right? Rescued dogs will sometimes require a little extra time, patience and love throughout the process.
Boost Your Training Success with These 7 Leash Training Tips:
#1 – Be Realistic with Your Expectations
One of the biggest mistakes that I have seen most dog parents make is simply to expect too much too early in the process. Reading this post isn’t going to provide you with some magical secret that will have your dog walking perfectly on leash tomorrow. You need to go into this process with realistic expectations to avoid unnecessary stress for both you and your pup.
If you are serious about correcting your dog’s behaviour on leash, be prepared for the time commitment that this is going to require. This isn’t something that can be accomplished in 1 or 2 training sessions. Instead, it’s going to be an ongoing and gradual effort, but the end result is worth the time and energy!
#2 – Equip Yourself with the Appropriate Gear
Would you take on a home improvement project without the necessary tools? Cook supper without pots and pans? Before you even start your first training session, you need to set yourself up for success. This means ensuring that you have all the gear necessary to properly train your pup.
There are a number of options available, each with its own pros and cons to consider. Examples include a standard collar, a martingale collar, a back harness, a front-clip harness or a muzzle harness/head halter. There is no ‘right answer’, but you will find which works best in your unique case. For example, we use a Gentle Leader head halter on Daviana and a Gentle Leader Easy Walk harness on Indiana as they each have different needs and personalities.
[I am NOT a fan of the ‘prong collars’ that are recommended by some trainers for a number of reasons. For this reason, I will not be discussing this option or promoting them in the post. If you are considering this option, I encourage you to research the difference between positive reinforcement-based training and correction/punishment-based training.]
In addition to your collar or halter, you will need a sturdy leash. During the training process, you will want a traditional style leash NOT a retractable variety. Due to the style of retractable leashes, they encourage pulling. While I agree that these leashes can work in some situations, they should never be used during the training phase. I would recommend an adjustable leash like the OneisAll Dog Training Lead to allow you to easily adjust between a short, medium and long leash as necessary.
#3 – Allow Your Dog to Adjust to the Collar/Harness First
If you are going to be using a harness or collar that your dog isn’t used to wearing, take the time to allow them to get comfortable first. It’s easy – simply put the harness or collar on your dog and allow him/her to wear it around the home. This will give your pup the chance to get used to the way that it feels in a setting that they consider to be safe, reducing one of the bigger sources of stress when you take him/her out for the first training session.
#4 – Keep Training Sessions Short
The focus and attention required by your dog during a training session can take a lot of him/her, especially if you’re working on training a young puppy! If you push for too long, your dog is going to become mentally exhausted, making it difficult to focus or retain any training. As your dog’s attention starts to waver, your patience may very well follow. It’s not a pleasant situation for all parties. Why turn training into a negative experience?
Rather than setting aside a whole afternoon to work on your pup’s leash manners, try working at it for 15-20 minutes each day. The time commitment over the course of a week is the same, but you will see greater success with short, focused training sessions.
#5 – Be Consistent
If there are two factors that will drive your dog’s training success, it’s consistency and structure. I can’t discuss leash training tips without stressing how important this is! Your dog needs to understand clearly what you are expecting from them. While we often live in a world that’s full of shades of grey, it’s your responsibility as a dog owner to make this black and white. Set your rules and expectations and stick with them, no exceptions.
Let’s use a fairly extreme example to explain what I mean. If you have a dog that jumps on every person that he/she meets, that is likely a habit you’re working to correct with your training efforts. To do this, your dog needs to understand that jumping on someone is wrong and staying off them/staying calm is right. In order to enforce this, you need to correct your dog EVERY time that he/she jumps up on someone, not just when you’re training them. Otherwise, you’re teaching your dog that there are times that jumping on people is okay. Confused about when it is acceptable and when it isn’t, your dog is likely going to resort to their old (and at least partially accepted) behaviour – jumping on people.
Help your dog learn to follow the rules by setting and sticking to them yourself.
#6 – Eliminate Unnecessary Distractions
Why make this process more challenging than it needs to be? After all, a distracted dog isn’t a ‘bad’ dog any more than a child getting distracted is a ‘bad’ kid. If you want to get the most out of your training sessions, start by setting your dog up to succeed. Choose a quiet location free from unnecessary distractions. This could be inside your home, in a private back yard or an empty parking lot. As your dog learns the skills necessary to exhibit good leash manners you can then add distractions later, moving to a more public location.
By making it a gradual process, you give your dog the chance to first learn the basic skill and rules. Pay close attention to how comfortable and confident they are with your commands and allow your pup to let you know when it’s time to move to the next step.
#7 – Praise Good Behaviour
Above all else, you want your dog to see both the training process and walking on a leash as a positive experience. Why? This will encourage them to adopt these new habits permanently moving forward. The best way to do this is to praise your dog every time you see them exhibiting good behaviour, especially in the beginning. If you notice your dog is walking beside you with a loose leash (no pulling), avoiding jumping up on someone as you pass or ignoring obvious sources of distraction (like walking past a dog without pulling to go visit), reward him/her. If they know these behaviours are good and will earn praise, they are more likely to make good choices next time.
This does NOT mean that you have to give your dog a food treat every time they do something right, although treats can be a great motivator in moderation. Other forms of praise include verbal praise (the classic ‘Good Boy’ phrase will get most dogs excited), playtime with a favourite toy or physical attention such as pets, belly rubs or butt scratches. Excessive use of food treats can lead to other issues like obesity. For best results, switch it up.
Ready to get started?
Check out this great video from ‘Top Dog Tips’ breaking down the step by step process of teaching your dog to walk on a leash:
**Feature Image Source: Bailey Lynn D Photography
This is a very thorough article to set up a successful plan for leash training, which is a very important part of owning a dog. I am certain that this information will be invaluable for new pet owners or anyone who is wanting to leash train their dog.
Thank you!
I wish all dog owners would train their dogs like this. Leash training sounds like a good program
Too many slack off on leash training when dogs are just puppies, and it results in unruly and uncontrollable adult dogs. Then they complain about the headaches down the road.
My pupper is awful at pulling on the lead. I’ve tried everything under the sun to try and minimise this. The halties and the harness only made it worse. I’ve found that just a voice command has been the most effective. That and allowing for regular exercise because he is one hyperactive dog.
It’s not uncommon for halties and harnesses to make it worse initially, especially for a high-energy dog. Introducing something new that tries to contain them triggers a desire to fight back. It’s new, it’s different and they don’t like it lol
Unfortunately I do not have a pet, but I would also love to undergo this practice. Very beautiful.
Thank you!
The biggest point to be taken into consideration here is patience is key and realistic expectations. Most people expect their dogs to excel at new commands or training in one day or maximum in one week. However, with patience and understanding no training is unachievable.
Yes! This is so true – so many people are on the search for instant results and that’s not going to happen when it comes to dog training. We wouldn’t expect ourselves to completely break free from a bad habit and form a new one overnight, so how can we expect them to?
I have 2 cats, so this kind of training is not something I am familiar with. It all makes good sense, though. This is a very well thought out list. Thank you for using your experience to help out those that do need some help in leash training their dogs. I do imagine it can be pretty hard at times, especially when the dog is easily excitable.
It can definitely be difficult and challenging – but when you have a well-mannered dog at the end of it, the frustration is totally worth it!
Maybe this will help Reks to finally accept the leash. He’s fourteen by the way.
Congratulations on him reaching such an old age! The saying ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ can’t be further from the truth… Sure, it often takes a little more work and patience, but it can definitely be accomplished! My girl is 12 and I continue to work with her on new tricks and things to this day!
Like you rightly put it, time commitment and patience is vital in dog training. It isn’t an easy job to get them to the point we want them to be, this can be frustrating at times and that is why I love the tips and analogies in this article.
It can DEFINITELY be frustrating! I can remember more than one occasion with my girl where I was nearly pushed to the point of giving up – but I stuck it out and I am SO happy for that now!
I am so thankful for this post! my little terrier mix is always pulling on her leash. I will use these techniques to improve our walks.
I hope that you’re able to find something here that helps! Just make sure that you stick with it – the biggest mistake that I see a lot of people make is simply that they give up too early, failing to allow the training the time that it requires to fully sink in. After all, you’re changing a bad habit and we all know that doesn’t happen overnight with us, so we shouldn’t expect it to for our dogs either!
I can’t wait for having a dog and try all those 7 amazing tips! I will be back?
I remember the excitement of adding a new member to the family! Wishing you all the best during that stage.
Great post! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you!
These are some great tips. We’ve never tried to least train a dog but we did successfully train one of our rabbits. She was great with the leash, we even got to a stage where she’d follow us around the garden without it. No worries of her bolting either.
*leash
When I was a child, I had a leash-trained rabbit as well. She loved going for little walks around the front yard. I never took her further than that, however. She was a dwarf rabbit and we lived on a large yard in the middle of nowhere, so it was more than enough space for her!
These are fantastic tips!
Thank you!
I have a westie and after reading this I am actually considering getting her a different type of harness. After researching the ones you mentioned I am starting to think that perhaps the back harness is a better/more comfortable option for her! This was super insightful! Thank you!!
Harnesses are great, especially for smaller pups!
I’m always looking for ways to make our girl more obedient. She is 7.5 and she really tests my patience. (Food snatching and stuff). Thanks for great posts!
It takes A LOT of work, but it’s SO worth it to not have to worry!
Such good tips! I definitely agree that rewards are such a great way to motivate!
Thank you!
These are genuinely great tips for those with pets!
Fy https://cultureeighteen.wordpress.com/
Thank you!
Great tips! I’ve never owned a dog, I’m definitely a cat person, so I’ve never had to leash train haha x
I’ve seen some cats that walk on leashes (although the training process is definitely different). My cats both like going outside on their leashes and harnesses, but they don’t really walk – they just like to play in the grass or (in Jinx’s case) laze around and bask in the sun.
These are some really helpful tips for training. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you!
My 7-pound Malti-Poo pulls on her leash like a sled dog being told to “Mush!” Haha! Thanks for these helpful leash training tips. You’ve given me hope that I can still leash train my 10-year old pup. Now I just need to train myself to be patient and consistent. 😉
I think that’s often the hardest part – training ourselves lol
My (12 year old) puppy and I have been working on unlearning some unhealthy walking habits he picked up while I was away at school. Fortunately walking with another dog has helped a bit but their are so many dogs on our walking route that it’s a bit easy for us to get thrown off. I absolutely love this post!! As pet parents it’s important for us to remember that just like with human children, we need to correct and continuously work with our pets to allow them to be their best, happiest, and healthiest selves.
Thanks for sharing these tips, definitely got my gears going as far as thinking of how I can help make our walks safer while staying enjoyable.
It is so easy for pups to pick up a bad habit. We’re currently working on correcting one that Indy picked up when we were a little too lax with him for a while. It’s always an ongoing effort!
I pinned this post! Thank you for sharing this helpful info!
Thank you!
Your dogs are so cute! Also, great tips.
Thank you!
These are such great tips! I have two dogs who don’t always have leash manners and one thing I always do is not praise them when they are exhibiting the correct behavior. It is a more positive experience for them when I do praise them for when they are good so they can learn that positive correlation between their behavior and my mood.
Most dogs want nothing more than to make their owners happy. They crave that praise!
Britt, Wonderful explanation I was thinking training is hard but your tips really help. Thanks for sharing amazing article??
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this! I have found this to be really helpul, although leash training is difficult but I am sure it’ll get a lot easier with these tips. I sometimes leave my dogs with dog walkers and pet sitters from barkindustries.com and I can surely see a change in their habits! Dogs are trul;y wonderful and its amazing to watch then grow and develop new habits.