Essential tips, techniques, and equipment recommendations for successful loose lead walking.
Walking with your dog on a loose lead is a very important skill for enjoyable walks and public outings. However, walking in a straight line does not come naturally to dogs. Ignoring distractions and following a human attached to a lead is mentally hard work. This could be compared to driving a car in the rain at night versus a sunny day. By the time you arrive at your destination, you will want a rest break. While it takes time to master, a few key things will help you and your dog succeed.
Loose Lead Training - Blog Outline:
1. Loose Lead Walking Tips.
Prioritise enjoyable, short training sessions over lengthy ones
Training and learning new skills should always be enjoyable for you and your dog. Lots of short, fun sessions are more productive than occasional long sessions. When teaching your dog to walk on a loose lead, avoid putting pressure on the lead, as this makes it easier for your dog to understand that a loose lead means a happy human.
Choose the right equipment.
Choosing the best walking equipment for your dog can be fun. For loose lead walking, you will need a collar that is well fitted and your dog feels comfortable in, a 4-foot or 6-foot lead (not a retractable or slip lead!) and tasty food rewards, which your dog loves.
The collar should be comfortable to wear and fitted so that it does not slip over your dog’s head. I suggest choosing a lead with a clip that fits the size of the collar (not too heavy or small and fiddley) and is easy to attach and detach.
Prepare your dog for training.
The lead can be a big distraction for some dogs. Your dog may find the movement of the lead exciting, or it can make your dog feel uneasy. Before starting to train your dog to walk on a loose lead, I recommend teaching your dog calmness when putting the collar and lead on, unclipping the lead and holding the lead. This is best to be done at home.
Teaching your dog ‘lead on’ and lead off’ and remaining calm is a basic life skill and is helpful when it comes to managing the excitement of going for a walk or when out on a walk, unclipping the lead for some off lead time and clipping lead back on when required.
I love using a clicker and know from experience that it works well to mark a desired behaviour; a clicker gives your dog a clear and consistent signal that they did what you were asking them to do. Correct click timing, followed by a timely reward, is essential for fluency and learning outcomes.
Stay calm and patient.
It is easy to get frustrated by your dog pulling you. But your 4-legged friend isn’t pulling to upset you; she just gets overwhelmed at times by the environment you are in. Take a deep breath, keep breathing and wait until your dog releases the tension in the lead and can give up the environment and can engage with you again.
Larger breeds can be very strong when they pull on the lead, and I find turning myself in the opposite direction and using body weight as a counter lever stops me from being pulled forward. You don’t want to pull your dog but hold the tension in the lead. When your dog moves towards you, the tension eases praise and reward.
2. Basic Loose Lead Training Techniques.
Whenever we teach a new skill or behaviour, we need to start in an environment that is not overwhelming but quiet and without distractions so that your dog can focus on learning and mastering the new skill. Start the foundation for loose lead training at home, where you can minimise and control distractions.
Decide which side you would like your dog to walk on. This is a personal preference (there is no right or wrong for companion dogs).
Fill your treat pouch or pocket on the side your dog is on with high-value food rewards that are easy for your dog to see. High-value food rewards build motivation and increase focus. You can also feed your dog some of its meals during a training session and mix in some delicious treats.
Hold a piece of food on that side of your body; i.e. dog on your left side, hold piece of food in your left hand and lure your dog into position next to you on your left side. Repeat a few times and phase out the food in your hand, but lure with the same hand movement and reward when the dog is by your side. Note: reward the side your dog is on (not across your body, as this will encourage your dog to come forward and in front of you). This can be done without the lead.
Hold the end of your lead in your other hand with the lead hanging loosely across your body.
Take one step forward, put a piece of food by your heel with the hand on the same side your dog is on (not across your body!) and stop. This will help to reinforce the position by your heel for your dog. It is unlikely that your dog will remain in position next to you in the very early stages, which is okay. It is important to match the length of your step to your dog's pace.
Repeat step 5. Take one step, place food on the floor by your heel, and stop. As soon as your dog has the food in its mouth, take the next step.
When your dog remains by your side anticipating the next piece of food, take two steps before placing food on the floor and stopping. Be mindful to match the length of your stride and pace to your puppy’s pace.
Increase the number of steps gradually. You can praise your dog to promote motivation and focus during the exercise.
If your dog pulls ahead, stop immediately and bring your dog back to you. Take a break and evaluate the situation by asking yourself some questions, such as: "Is my dog getting tired?" Is there a distraction, such as a scent, another dog or wildlife? Does my dog need a toilet break? These are only examples and are not an exclusive list. This allows for the ‘reset’ button and to restart training. It can help prevent teaching a sequence of dogs pulling ahead, coming back, and eating. The training goal is for your dog to learn that walking alongside you on a relaxed lead gets rewards and praise, not pulling.
Once your dog walks well and reliably next to you with a loose lead for a few steps, introduce your cue, i.e. ‘with me/side/heel’.
Release your dog (‘all done’, ‘finished’) when you finish the exercise, and your dog is no longer required to walk alongside you.
As tedious as the process of loose lead training is, it is temporary, and the result will make you feel proud of your achievement, and the relationship with your dog deepens.
3. Progress to loose lead training in new environments.
As your dog becomes more skilled at walking on a loose lead alongside you at home, you can start to take your new skill outside. You can practice in your garden and the front of your house. After teaching your dog in quiet locations, progress to practice in various situations with increased distractions.
Change of direction and introducing a change of pace are ways you can encourage your dog to pay closer attention to you. By walking in figures of eight, you will be able to practice turning and teach your dog to shorten and lengthen the stride.
When your dog is getting good at this, you can introduce walking towards a distraction, i.e., a toy or food bowl.
You can mix things up to create interest and excitement by being unpredictable and fun. Keep your dog motivated and make the training exercises fun! This will help to build great focus on the lead.
When walking with your dog, they are learning the little signals you consistently do (we are very often unaware of) that enable our dogs to predict what will happen next. The more aware you are of your body movements, the more you can consciously develop the communication between you and your dog. This enables you to walk in harmony together. In time, you will be able to easily navigate turns and obstacles without needing verbal cues.
4. Dog Loose Lead Training. The Key Takeaways.
We have discussed the importance of taking one step at a time and not rushing your dog's training. Enjoy the journey and celebrate the little wins along the way. The more you work with your dog, the faster the progress will happen.
Loose lead training requires a lot of thinking on the dog’s part, which is mentally demanding and takes full attention from you, the handler. Walking with your dog means you are not chatting with a friend, talking on the phone, or listening to a podcast. You may not have a specific destination; go by time, not by route or distance.
In the beginning, you are most likely to find yourself walking back and forth on the same stretch of pavement or path so that your dog can learn to walk next to you without sniffing and greeting other dogs or humans. When walking together with your dog, you are communicating with each other all the time. You will learn to feel each other’s energy, and it feels great when the connection goes beyond training. Over time, you’ll be able to go on more fun, more relaxed walks with your dog.
Improving Your Dog's Loose Lead Walking Skills with Gundog Trainer in Surrey
I hope you found the information provided in this blog beneficial as you work towards improving your dog's loose lead walking skills. However, if you still find yourself struggling or have specific questions or concerns that weren't addressed here, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Located in Surrey, we are dedicated gundog trainers helping dog owners like yourself navigate the challenges of loose lead walking and beyond.