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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

Stop Your Dog From Pulling on the Leash

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My Dog Pulls Like a Freight Train

How to Stop Dog From Pulling on Leash
Is this you? We can help!

Woot woot! Was that you whizzing by powered by a four-legged locomotive? If so, check out a few dog training secret tips to stop leash pulling plus they’re pretty easy!

Why Dogs Pull on Leash

Dogs pull because they want to move forward. It’s that simple. There is nothing dominant about leash pulling. They learned if they move forward, you’ll likely follow. I know, mind blowing, huh? 🙂

Stroking the Leash

Confused Puppy
A confused puppy pulling against pressure. Stroking the leash will work wonders!

This was pretty new to me so I gave it a try and was amazed at the results! TTouch was designed to work with animals by using touch and body awareness, which builds confidence and promotes self control (self soothing in stressful situations). The stroking the leash technique removes leash tension, which is extremely beneficial for all dogs. Stroking the leash perfectly describes the process. You’re rhythmically pulling the leash towards you using light pressure. Not only does this work for strong pulling dogs, it also is hugely beneficial for scared or shut down dogs who become frozen during scary situations.

Stroking the Lead – TTouch Tips

Take a peek at this video demonstrating how to stroke the lead of a distracted dog.

Teaching Collar Pressure

Dog Pulling
Perfect example of opposition reflex where the dog is pulling against pressure.

Sharing my home with larger dogs through the years, my go-to tip for teaching polite leash manners is teaching collar pressure. This technique works extremely well for teaching dogs to follow pressure instead of pulling against it (opposition reflex). Opposition reflex is an instinctual reaction to pressure. If I push against you, you’ll push back and you don’t want to fall over. It’s a natural and life saving response, but sometimes opposition reflex is interpreted as stubbornness or resistance, which is furthest from the truth.

It’s difficult to work against opposition reflex so let’s work with it! Instead of continuing to pull against your dog, apply a bit of pressure and wait for your dog to release his pressure, then click/treat! When applying pressure, lightly pull your dog’s collar towards you. Applied pressure is enough to engage opposition reflex, but not enough to move the dog. Always click and treat when your dog releases the pressure.

Dog Training Tip: Teaching Collar Pressure

During this video, I demonstrate how to apply collar pressure for a large and small dog with and without distractions.

Say goodbye to your freight train and hello to polite leash manners! Have you tried teaching collar pressure or stroking the lead yet?

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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