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Does Your Dog Pull On Leash? Ditch The Leash

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Dog Training Tips for Strong Pulling Dogs

Stop Dog Pulling on Leash
Marcella Miriello/Adobe Stock

When dogs pull on leash like freight trains, it’s frustrating, exhausting and downright dangerous. It feels like your shoulder is dislocated during and after each walk, and your back muscles scream for mercy. Pulling strongly on leash is painful for dogs too, especially if they’re wearing a collar. While it may not seem painful to your dog, it’s important to note that his neck hurts just as bad as your shoulder. Over time, strong pulling dogs develop permanent shoulder and neck issues and so do their pet owners.

As pet owners, it’s our job to teach our dogs that hanging out with us is more fun than pulling on leash. While it may seem impossible, it’s actually very easy to teach.

If It Hurts, Why Does My Dog Pull on Leash?

Dogs pull on leash because they don’t know what to do instead of pulling. Dogs get excited, so they pull forward and their pet owners follow. This starts a vicious leash pulling cycle, which isn’t safe for anyone. If your dog pulls on leash, it’s important to teach your dog polite leash manners.

Ditch Your Leash

Until your strong pulling dog learns that staying next to you is rewarding, ditch your leash. Strong pulling dogs get really excited when leashes appear, and they immediately pull once the leash is attached. Plus, it’s difficult to manage your pulling dog, provide treats and reward good behavior at the same time. Since you’re ditching the leash, make sure to only practice this behavior in your home first.

Hanging Out With Me is Fun

Grab super yummy treats, such as cheese sticks, and practice in a low distraction area of your home. Practice while children are napping and other dogs are happily licking food stuffed Kongs in another room. Remember, you don’t need a leash for this exercise.

  • Holding treats in your hand, take one step forward and wait for your dog to return to you. Don’t worry, your dog will likely hang out with you because treats are present. This sets you both up for success.
  • When your dog chooses to walk back to you, say “yes” the moment he walks next to your shoes and give him a treat. When handing him an earned treat, drop the treat next to your shoes.
  • Take another step and wait for your dog to stand next to you. If your dog hangs out with you, while you’re taking a step, immediately say “yes” and drop a treat at your feet.
  • Take a step backwards, and reward when he returns or stays with you.
  • Continue one step at a time.
  • Keep dog training sessions short about 1-2 minutes long.

Take More Steps

Once your dog will remain with or return to you 90% of the time, it’s time to take three steps forward. Continue adding one step at a time, and walk around your home. If your dog chooses to hang out with you, while you’re walking around your home, say “yes” and reward often. Practice daily and keep training sessions short.

Time to Add a Leash

Once your strong pulling dog learns that hanging out with you is rewarding, it’s time to add a leash. Some dogs may regress a bit, because their leash is super exciting, so start with one step at a time. Check out this article and video for teaching your dog polite leash manners while wearing a leash. Usually, most strong pulling dogs zoom through this process because they’ve already learned that hanging out with their pet owners makes treats rain from the sky!

Reward this behavior often, and it will stick around!

WATCH: Dog Training Tips for Strong Pulling Dogs

How To Teach Your Dog Polite Leash Manners

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Polite Leash Walking

Polite Leash Manners
Christin Lola/Adobe Stock

Dogs pull on leash because they haven’t been taught differently. It’s up to pet owners to positively teach dogs polite leash manners, and it’s actually much easier than most pet owners think. All you need are: a clicker (or marker word), 4-foot nylon leash, body harness, your dog and lots of super yummy treats. These tips will help your dog learn polite leash manners in no time!

What are Polite Leash Manners?

Polite leash manners are when dogs are able to walk on leash without pulling. This behavior is different than “heel” in that a dog is able to walk around his pet owner and sniff. Heel is very formal, which requires the dog to walk next to his pet owner’s right leg. Polite leash manners let dogs explore while staying close to their pet owners.

Choosing Dog Training Treats

Using super yummy treats will greatly increase your chances of success. Treats are your dog’s paycheck for a job well done, so reward generously. Use baked chicken, cheese cubes, hot dogs or deli meat as rewards. These treats won’t upset your dog’s tummy if given in pea-size bites during training sessions.

Also, giving your dog human food won’t teach dogs to beg. Dogs learn to beg when people give them food from their plates. 🙂

RELATED: 6 Ridiculous, Yet Common Dog Myths

My Dog Pulls Like a Freight Train

This is common, especially with larger dogs that have learned to pull on leash. Leash pulling is dangerous because strong pulling dogs can easily knock their pet owners over. If your dog pulls, try using a front clip harness. This piece of equipment will give you control during walks until your dog learns polite leash manners.

One Step at a Time

Teach your dog polite leash manners slowly until your dog understands that walking on a loose leash is rewarding. Practice indoors and start by taking one step forward and wait until your dog stops pulling on the leash. Many pet owners are so used to their dogs pulling on leash that they have a hard time understanding when to reward their dogs.

Zone in on the pressure of the leash in your hand instead of the dog’s position to you. When you feel any tension on the leash, stop and wait for your dog to release this pressure. The moment you feel this pressure release, say “yes” and give your dog a treat reward.

Pro tip: Hold your dog’s earned treat next to your leg, so he returns to you for his treat. Feeding your dog earned treats next to your leg teaches your dog that hanging around you is rewarding.

Practice taking one step forward at a time while waiting for a loose leash (i.e. no leash pressure) and always reward generously. It’s best to practice for 10 single steps forward (10 times to practice good behavior) each day. Soon, your dog will learn that a loose leash pays well!

Take 3 Steps Forward

Take 3 steps forward and wait. Usually, most dogs will pull at first, but wait for a loose leash.  Say “yes” the moment you feel leash pressure release and reward your dog. If your dog doesn’t pull on the leash during and after taking 3 steps forward, immediately click and reward good behavior. YAY!

Continue practicing for 1-2 more minutes, then end the training session. Once you’re able to walk around your home or backyard, with minimal leash pulling, it’s time to practice one step at a time in your neighborhood. Remember, neighborhoods are distracting, so take a step back to set your dog up for success. Practice daily for 1-2 minutes, then end your training session.

Reward Good Behavior Every 4 Steps

Once your dog learns to walk politely on leash, it’s important to continue rewarding good behavior or you’ll lose it. Pet owners get into a groove and forget to reward their dogs for good behavior, so set up a strategy for success.

Bring treats along during your walks, and reward your dog every 4 steps for a week. During walks, stopping and rewarding your dog after 4 steps forward provides a high rate of reinforcement and a reminder to pet owners to reward good behavior. In the following week, reward your dog every 5 steps and so on. When rewarding your dog, mark your dog’s good behavior and hold his earned treat next to your pant leg.

Give Dogs Plenty of Sniffing Time—With One Rule

Sniffing opportunities are a vital part of walks. They’re an excellent form of mental enrichment and a great reward for good behavior. Dogs have an amazing sense of smell, and they really enjoy sniffing where bunnies were playing or dogs posted “pee” social media mail. Dogs should have plenty of sniffing opportunities, but with one rule.

If your dog pulls you toward a certain spot, stop and wait for your dog’s leash to loosen. The moment you feel slack in your dog’s leash, start walking toward your dog’s sniffing spot. Once your dog is done sniffing, continue your walk.

Polite leash manners are a learned skill, so practice and reward often to maintain it!

WATCH: How to Teach Your Dog Polite Leash Manners

Keep Your Dog From Pulling By Teaching Collar Pressure

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How to Stop Your Dog From Pulling on Leash

Stop Dog From Pulling on Leash

This dog training tip will teach you how to properly train your dog using collar pressure techniques, which will stop your dog from pulling on leash.

Can you imagine moving your dog away from the door with two fingers while holding his collar or leash every time someone is ringing the doorbell? You’re probably thinking there may be no way your dog can do it, right?

Train your dog to understand collar pressure. If your dog pulls on leash or lead, this is one of the first steps to teaching polite leash manners. No more pulling and tugging on your dog’s collar or leash. He will learn to yield to this pressure! 🙂

Teaching Collar Pressure to Your Dog

When teaching dogs collar pressure, we’re not forcing a dog to move, but rather we’re teaching him to offer something different than an opposition reflex. We train him not to push or pull back against the leash pressure. Dog training should be done in a positive and patient manner. Don’t get flustered (remember yoga breath).

This dog training video demonstrates collar pressure training. Again, you’re teaching your dog to move with pressure; not pull against it. This is the goal of loose-leash walking in a nutshell.

Step 1: Make touching your dog’s collar a good thing.

  1. Touch your dog’s collar, then click and treat.
  2. Do this 10 times in a row.

Step 2: Apply pressure.

  1. Apply pressure to your dog’s collar in the opposite way of where he’s standing. Use light pressure, such as holding a door open. You’re not pulling hard per se, but more like restraining.
  2. Immediately click and treat when your dog follows the direction of pressure. As he moves toward the pressure, you’re no longer applying pressure to your dog’s collar.
  3. Do this 10 times in a row. Remember to click and treat each time your dog performs the intended behavior.

Step 3: Reward your dog for moving toward you.

  1. Touch your dog’s collar as if you’re moving him away from something, such as an open door.
  2. Immediately click and treat when your dog follows the direction of pressure (he moves toward your hand instead of pulling opposite of you).
  3. Do this 10 times in a row. Remember to click and treat each time.

RELATED: Choosing the Right Dog Trainer

Dog training involves repetitive actions. Always reward your dog with praise, a click or a treat when he performs the desired action. When a dog learns something new, it should be just like the old cliché: “Practice makes perfect.” Dog training does require repetition (pun intended). Got it?

WATCH: Teaching Collar Pressure

The goal in this training exercise is to move your dog simply by touching his collar. Always click and treat your dog for good behavior when training him. Now, try it with a leash. Use the above dog training steps!

You can train your dog to move in the direction of pressure on his collar using the same steps above. However, use a flat hand against your dog’s body. This works really nicely when trying to move dogs around in a tight space.

Can you use this behavior in your everyday life? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Dog Training Nation is a dog training blog for pet owners and dog lovers. We cover a range of topics from puppy socialization tips to dog aggression to dog health. It is our hope you share our content to make the world a better place for dogs.

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