As she ties her laces, Nancy is looking forward to a nice walk with her dog, Marty. She’s picturing a stroll through her quiet, bucolic neighborhood. But Marty has other ideas. As soon as Nancy opens the door, Marty is out like a shot, almost yanking Nancy off her feet. Marty has places to go, and he’s pulling the leash for all it’s worth to get there.
Nancy needs to figure out how to walk a pulling dog. She needs her dog to walk calmly on a loose leash, not pull a sled—and her—across the Arctic Tundra.
If you share Nancy’s problem, you first need to understand why your dog pulls on the leash. Then you can learn techniques and find gear to take control and put an end to the pulling.
Why is the Dog Pulling on the Leash?
It’s Allowed
If your dog pulls on the leash, but you do not correct it, the dog has no reason to stop. Also, if you constantly hold the leash in a tight position, your dog is more likely to pull.
Bottled-Up Energy
Does your dog get enough exercise? If they only get a few very short walks, they have a lot of energy stored up. They are itching to get outside and run! And you, who happens to be on the other end of the leash, are way too slow. So you’re going to have to go along for the ride the best you can.
A Focus on Their Surroundings
If they don’t get out often enough, your dog will be more interested in the smells, sounds, and sights around them than they are in you. Running around your fenced-in backyard helps drain that energy. But something is missing. When you take your dog outside your property, they are now free to smell all the other dogs who marked the trees and hydrants. Your dog gets to explore the smells all around the territory. This is like getting the latest news, and they can respond by reestablishing their place in the world.
Fear of Aggression
If something scares your dog, like another dog or a large crowd, they would like to get away. For example, if there’s a sudden clap of thunder, your dog may start pulling the leash to get back home immediately.
Dog-on-leash aggression is particularly worrisome. Your dog may lunge at another dog, a kid on a skateboard, or a squirrel running across the sidewalk.
Breeding and Instinct
Is your dog of a type originally bred to pull sleds? Give yourself more training time because you’ll have to overcome what their brains are wired to do.
We divide a dog’s instinctual behavior into three categories or drives:
- Prey Drive: hunting, killing, and eating
- Pack Drive: reproducing and living in groups
- Defense Drive (Fight and Flight): reacting to what they perceive as threats
Every dog, at some point, acts on each of the three drives. But dogs vary widely in the levels of each they naturally have. Hunting dogs have high prey drive, guard dogs have high defense drive, for example. Try our Canine Personality Profile to see how your dog ranks. It’ll help you understand and anticipate their behavior.
Now, what is happening when a dog is acting fearful or aggressive? The fearful dog is in defense-flight drive, and the aggressive dog is in prey or defense-fight drive. To walk on a loose leash, your dog needs to be in pack drive with you as the leader. So you need to get their attention away from the distractions and put it squarely on you. This may require just a quick check on the leash, or you may have to move the dog to another area to regain control.
Training Your Dog to Walk on Leash without Pulling
The goal is to get your dog to walk on a loose leash. You’re not pulling them, and more importantly, they’re not pulling you. While they’re enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells, they know you and respect your presence. So when they pull, you need to redirect their attention.
Get That Exercise!
Before you start training, take a look into how much exercise your dog is getting. Do they have opportunities to run around and catch up with the territory’s news? This will solve at least part of the problem—they won’t be as excited, and they will more easily focus on you.
Get the Right Training Gear
We recommend a leash and collar ideal for training purposes. Our best equipment for training includes a six-foot nylon web leash and a nylon snap-around collar. You can place this collar high on the dog’s neck for a snug fit and maximum control. These are great for teaching your dog to respect the boundaries of the leash.
Respect the Leash
Here’s a summary of a leash training sequence. For the detailed description, please see our book, Dog Training for Dummies, by Jack and Wendy Volhard.
Take the leash in both hands and place your hands against your belt buckle. Say, “Let’s go” (or another command of your choice) and start walking. Before your dog reaches the end of the leash, say, “Let’s go,” and turn in the opposite direction. Praise them when they follow. Repeat the exercise. When you turn, do so with confidence and don’t look back—praise and reward when the dog catches up. Keep your sessions to about five minutes at a time. Once your dog learns this exercise, continue without the “Let’s go” command when you turn. Later you can add distractions as you would encounter on your walks.
A Parting Reminder
You can teach your pulling dog to walk calmly with you with time and patience. Understanding their personality helps you understand what’s behind your dog’s behavior. And with straightforward, consistently taught training exercises, your dog can quickly become the perfect walking partner you’ve always wanted.