How to Walk Nicely on a Leash
There are a couple of tricks to teaching your dog to walk nicely on a leash and they do not include using choke chains or pinch collars.
Necessary tools for training a dog to walk nicely on a leash:
1. Collar - nylon or leather, properly fitted
2. Leash - nylon or leather. 4-foot or 6-foot
3. Treats or favorite toy
4. Heaps of praise
5. Piles of paitence
The first efforts should be made with a regular nylon or leather collar fitted properly on the dog's neck. A collar fits properly when you can slip two fingers between the collar and the neck. By being snug like this, you avoid the mistake many owners make of leaving the collar too loose, allowing the dog to slip right out of the collar by backing up. By ensuring that you can slide just two fingers (if you're a very large person with large fingers and/or you're dealing with a very small dog, then one finger is good) between the neck and the collar, you allow the dog to swallow easily and when he scratches, the collar will spin around his neck. The two-finger rule keeps the collar loose enough to be comfortable and snug enough to be secure.
Do not begin training a dog to walk nicely on a leash with a retractable leash. If your dog currently pulls on the leash during a walk, and you give him the space and distance provided by a retractable leash, you will encourage his tendency to pull. He will simply move all the way to the end of the leash (usually about 16 feet) and then pull just as hard, which actually means you have much less control over him. In the beginning stages of learning to walk nicely on a leash, it is important that the dog be close to you and learn to focus on you so that they can take their cue as to when and where to move from you.
So, you have your dog's nylon or leather collar properly fitted and on. You have a 4-foot or 6-foot nylon or leather leash attached to his collar. You are ready to go! Or are you? Make sure you have some treats with you or a favorite toy. You will use these things to get your dog's attention and to help him to focus on you during the walk and not focus with his nose to the ground, pulling you along as if you weren't even there.
OK, to start: Ideally your dog already knows the command "sit." Use this to your advantage. When you get the leash ready, or even before you get the leash if your dog gets very excited by the presence of the leash, tell Socks to "sit." Once Socks is sitting, put his leash on the collar. Do not make a big deal out of this as you do not want to get him riled and pulling you before you've even reached the door. Simply attach the leash without a word. Once you've done this, position the dog on the side of you that you wish him to walk. I will,for discussion purposes have the dog placed on my left side. If you want the dog on your right, then simply reverse the hands in which you hold the various items as I describe them here. Position Socks in a "sit" on your left side. Hold his leash in your RIGHT hand. That's correct - Socks is on your left and the leash is in your RIGHT hand (the leash should be in front of you, not behind you). In your left hand, the hand near Socks, you will have a few tasty morsels of food or his favorite toy. Keep your left hand at your side. Pretend there is a pin holding your left wrist to your left pant seam. This is the best spot for your hand. In this position, your dog can smell what's in your hand without having to jump and without you having to bend over. If you hold your hand in front of you, the dog will be a step or two in front of you. If you hold your hand behind you or out/away from your body, your dog will be behind you or pulling away from you - increasing his distance from you. You want your dog to be near you and focused on you. Right now we're getting him focused on your hand. He can sniff and even lick your hand, but do not offer him a treat during this phase. Stand next to Socks and wait until you are certain that he's calm. Once he's calm you can tell him your command to walk with you. Some options are "Let's go" "Follow" "Walk with me" or "walk." I am specifically not using the command "heel" here because that is a specific type of walking that we will get to after Socks has learned to simply walk without dragging you down the street.
When Socks is calm, you will tell him "Let's go" as you begin to take your first step. It's important that your commands occur as you move. If you stand perfectly still and tell Socks, "let's go" what is he supposed to think you mean. If you are moving forward and say "let's go" he is likely to follow you simply as a reaction to your movement and because he is attached to you by the leash. This is how we begin to associate for him that the words "let's go" mean 'move forward with me.' When you open the door, you should be moving through the door first as this will help Socks understand that he should be looking to you for direction. Also, moving through doorways first is a signal in the doggie world as to who is in charge. If your dog leads you out of the house, then your dog is going to lead you on the walk as well. If, when you open the door, he tries to charge through it, tell him "no sir." Take a few steps back into the house so that he has to move back to you. Stand at the door and put him in a proper sit next to you. Open the door. Stand still with him in a sit at the door and just wait calmly until he relaxes. This may take several minutes. Be patient. Your aim in this is not the walk itself, but the training of how to walk. You may not make it very far in the first several walks. Train when you have at least an hour to work with Socks. Take a few deep, cleansing breaths and think calming thoughts. Your calm energy will feed directly down the leash and to your dog. When he stops fidgeting and trying to get up, when he surrenders to sitting quietly and calmly at the open door, take a step forward as you tell him "let's go." Take your time closing and locking the door just as you normally would. Do not rush the process or you will get Socks worked up again. You may need to start all over again with a sit that lasts a few minutes just outside the now closed door before you can begin to actually move.
Once outside and walking, try to maintain a normal walking pace. Do not move super slow or significantly faster than you would normally like to be walking. Socks needs to learn to move at your pace. As you walk, you should praise him after a few steps of moving nicely with you. If he is walking nicely - not pulling - you should praise a lot. Praise can be almost continual if need be so that you can really drive home for him that he's doing what you are asking. In the beginning you will offer him a treat every 4 steps or so. Once he starts to get the hang of it, offer him a treat every 15th or 20th step, then every 50th pace, then just once in a while. Continue the verbal praise throughout.
IMPORTANT: When you offer Socks his treat for walking nicely, be sure that you do it while moving at your normal walking pace. If you stop to give him the treat, then he will learn that when he stops he gets a treat. This will result in a dog that takes a few steps and stops. That will be a very slow-going walk. If you give him a treat while walking at a normal pace, he will associate the treat with the nice forward movement he is making.
Throughout the walk there should be slack in the leash. Think of the leash as your emergency break, not as your reign. If the dog is focused on you and paying attention to your movement, then your movement will tell him where to go next (left, right, turn around, back up, stop). The leash is there just in case he tries to chase something, or is suddenly in the way of something and you need to move him unexpectedly. The leash is there because the law says we must have control over our dogs at all times while in public and that's appropriate. But the walk should be a united effort and you should not have any tension in your leash at all. In fact, if you find you are unable to train without holding the leash tight, try tying it through your belt loops. Leave it loose enough that when your dog is standing next to you there is a nice U shape to the leash - a bit of slack between the connection to you and the attachment to your dog. Walk him that way and see if he finds it easier to do.
If Socks does start to pull on the leash, simply stop moving. Stand completely still. Become a tree and plant your feet firmly in place. Tell Socks, "Not it" or "No sir/ma'am" whatever command you want to use to tell him he has done something wrong. You are not trying to punish him, simply make it clear that he has made the wrong choice. You will then help him to make the right choice. How?
While standing still, tell Socks in a very sweet voice, "Socks, by me." and show him a treat. Keep the treat in your left hand (the hand on the side where you want the dog). Bend at the waist if you need and hold the treat as close as you can to Socks' nose, but DO NOT LET HIM HAVE THE TREAT!!!! Slowly move your hand with the treat in it in a big semi-circle. You are going to lead Socks by the nose away from you, slightly behind you and then back to position one - by your side and ready to walk. Once he is back in the right position and calm, tell him "Good boy. Let's walk" and start moving forward again.
If he begins to take a step or two in front of you, but he is not yet actually pulling the leash, you can tell him, "easy" or "slow" and give a very quick jerk on the leash. This should be a wrist-flick. You are not to pull the leash back toward you as the force of you pulling will only cause Socks to pull harder in the forward direction. This is a very fast and brief jerk on the leash either in an upward motion or to the side (toward you). You are not jerking back and you are not pulling back. The purpose of this is to break his concentration and remind him he should be focused on you. Continue to praise and periodically treat him when he is doing well.
Be sure that you do not allow him to pull you along. As soon as there is tension on the leash, you stop and plant yourself firmly in place. Wait for him to calm on his own and return to you, or use the "by me" technique to bring him back to your side. Only when he is calm and by your side does he get the reward of forward movement.
Remember, to a dog, the walk itself is reward enough. Dogs like to walk. They like to move and sniff and see things. They like to investigate. Standing still does not provide much opportunity for investigating. If they want to move forward, they must do so politely. Most dogs who get regular daily practice at walking on a leash, will learn quite quickly that they only get the joy of forward movement when they stay near their human and periodically look to their human for direction.
If your dog does well for 4 or 5 steps and then routinely tries to run ahead, you can practice by changing directions frequently. If Socks never knows where you're going to go next and you are changing directions and speed (from normal to slow to jogging to slow to normal) randomly every handful of steps, Socks will be forced to pay more attention to you lest he get stepped on or dragged along.
If Socks stops to sniff something, it's OK for you to give a tug on the leash to get him moving again. It is not OK for him to give a tug on the leash to get you moving again. If you want to stop and chat with a neighbor, Socks should remain calm and near you, not trying to get you moving again.
Whenever you do come to a stop, you can tell Socks to "sit." After many, many repetitions, Socks should begin to sit automatically every time you stop. This is ideal so that if you do stop to speak with a neighbor, or if you're at the local pet store and want to read the label on a product, Socks will know that since you are not moving, he should be sitting. If he is sitting, he is not pulling on the leash.
Practice crossing streets with Socks. Whenever you are going to cross a street, even if there are no cars coming, stop at the curb and make sure he sits first. Ideally try to time it so that there are cars coming. Stop at the curb and tell Socks to "sit." As the car approaches, tell Socks, "Wait" or "Car" or whatever you'd like. Wait for the car to pass. Then tell him "Let's cross." I do not know for certain that it will work with every dog, but some dogs will make the association with crossing the street that they should wait for cars to pass first. This can help save their lives should they get out while off leash.
Walks should be made up of two parts: walking and sniffing/exploring/investigating. How you divide up this time is somewhat dependent on Socks' potty habits. If he potties at the beginning of the walk, you will need to begin the walk with some sniffing time either on your property or just off your property so that he can tend to that business. If he prefers to potty in the middle of a walk or he waits until it's clear that the walk is over, then you can begin with walking straight away.
Not everyone has time to take their dog out for 30-60 minute walks 2 or 3 times per day. Our lives are just too hectic, and while we'd love to be able to give our dogs that much exercise and have that much quality time with our pups, it's often just not possible. So the timing of your walking/exploring will need to be adjusted for your circumstances. Also, very little dogs (miniatures and tea cups) are not going to go as far as quickly as larger dogs. Instead of using minutes, I will use distances as a guideline. You should have Socks walk nicely with you for one or two residential blocks. This is walking with his head high, and moving at a comfortable pace with you. He is focused on forward motion and looking to you for direction. Once the two of you have walked comfortably a block or two, give him a couple minutes to explore. You can set your sights on a particular mailbox or tree, or an empty lot if there's one near by. Walk to this location and give him some freedom by telling him "free." If you are not using a retractable leash, you can simply step onto the grass and allow him to move. During this portion of the walk, you will follow him around, within reason. After 2-5 minutes (however long you have available to you), tell Socks, "Let's go." and start the walk again. Ideally you will repeat the process at least once more - away from the house. Then on the return trip, you can walk halfway back to the house, stop for a brief investigation and then return home. If you are walking around the block instead of out and back, you can do the first two walk/sniff sections in the first half of the distance and then double the length of the walk time between sniffs on the back half of the walk.
Once you get back to your property, allow him to sniff around before bringing him back inside. Once inside, you can avoid the I've-returned-home-from-an-awesome-outing frenzy by immediately giving him something specific to do such as a drink of water or an ice cube if it's hot out. If Socks will spend a couple minutes licking at and eating an ice cube, then he will calm from that outing energy before he has a chance to spazz out and you will find he is calm and relaxed without much effort on your part.
A NOTE ABOUT HEELING
Heeling is the specific placement of your dog to your side. When in a proper 'heel' Sock's shoulder should always be in line with your knee. This is different from walking nicely in that it is much more rigid in placement. When walking nicely, it is OK if the dog is a half pace ahead or behind, so long as there is no tension on the leash and so long as Socks looks to you periodically for direction. In heeling, there is no room for this half-pace off placement. He must have his shoulder in line with the knee nearest him. Also, part of "heel" is the process of taking up residence in this position beside you - ready to walk. The actual command "heel" is usually taught as the movement from where ever the dog is (possibly sitting in front of you and facing you) around your right side, behind your back and taking up a seated position at your left side. Many handlers will often use "Heel up" to get the dog in place and "Heel" to start the dog walking.
For most pet owners who simply want to be able to enjoy a nice walk with their dog, heeling is not necessary. Simply walking nicely on a leash is sufficient.
A NOTE ON RETRACTABLE LEASHES
Retractable leashes are nice because they can allow your dog a little extra freedom of movement while still being attached to you. Once your dog consistently walks nicely on a leash, you can upgrade to a retractable leash. They come in 10-foot, 16-foot and 26-foot lengths. During the actual walking part of the walk, you should keep the leash locked down to a standard 4-6 foot length so that Socks is restricted and so that there remains some slack in the leash. Once you get to an area where a little bit of freedom is an option - an open field, a grassy area, etc., you can release the lock and tell Socks, "Free." This way he will learn that he has some freedom to move around. This allows you to stand still and stay off the wet grass, or you can stay in the shade while Socks is exploring a bit for just the right potty spot. After he has had some freedom for a few minutes, call him to you, shorten the leash and lock it in at the 4- or 6-foot length and tell Socks, "Let's walk." He will learn quickly that a reward for walking nicely with you is that at some point you will tell him "free" and give him a chance to sniff and explore.
A NOTE ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLARS AND HARNESSES
Most dogs will learn to walk very nicely just using their regular nylon or leather collar. Some dogs are particularly determined, or the owner for whatever reason does not feel they have sufficient control over the dog. There are some options available. My personal favorites are the Gentle Lead Face Collar and the Gentle Lead Harness.
The Gentle Lead Face Collar works much like a horse bridle. If the dog pulls ahead, the collar pulls his head so that he is suddenly looking over his shoulder. If he pulls very hard, he will end up turning himself 180 degrees and face you. It has a loop that goes around the dog's nose, up under the eyes and a collar that snaps snugly behind his ears. This product comes with a CD-ROM to show exactly how to get the right fit. The collar part should be just behind the ears, not low on the neck. It should be snug enough that you can barely squeeze one finger between the collar and his head. The face part should fit around his face, near his eyes, but not rubbing/irritating his eyes. The adjustment should be snug under his chin. The line from the face loop and the line from the collar part should make a nice V shape. This provides a secure fit without irritating the dog. The CD-ROM also has chapters to show various ways of getting the dog acclimated to wearing a face collar.
The Gentle Lead Harness is not like the traditional harness styles. Traditional harness styles have the leash attachment on the dog's back. The Gentle Lead Harness has the leash attachment on the dog's chest. This allows it to work much like the face collar. If the dog pulls, the harness will tug on the dog's shoulder a little. This will cause him to turn completely around and face you if he pulls hard enough. Many dogs who have difficulty acclimating to the face collar, or have a short enough snout that a proper fit is difficult or impossible to achieve with the face collar, do quite well with the harness. Both of the Gentle Lead products work very well. Most dogs will stop pulling instantly and walk nicer for you. But, it is not the ideal way to train the dog to walk in that they are not choosing to walk nicely with you by their own motivation. A dog who walks with you because they want to walk with you is a dog that sees you as their leader. These collars are not harmful and I have used them. But if you can teach the dog to walk with you because they want to follow you, all the better.
Pinch collars are often used with large dogs or dogs that pull exceedingly hard. Mostly I see these collars on so-called bully breeds or used by owners who have no clear understanding of how to lead their dogs. Pinch collars can be useful with certain dogs - especially those trained in police work or protection. If a dog is trained to attack, they are often less sensitive physically and require something like a pinch collar to be effective. However, it is important that when one uses a pinch collar, it must be fitted properly. If it is too loose it can cause serious damage to the dog or be completely ineffectual. If it is too tight it can cause serious damage to the dog. And if it is used improperly it can cause serious damage to the dog. A pinch collar works by applying pressure that feels vaguely similar to that of another dog's bite. A type of correction a dog would get from another dog. But most people are used to the concept of choke chains and they are used to pulling on leads and chokers and they want to pull on a pinch collar as well. This is EXACTLY WRONG. A pinch collar is meant to tighten as the dog pulls forward. The dog's own movement will correct it as the collar tightens and when the dog stops moving forward, or moves back toward you, the collar relaxes and so does the correction. If we pull on it, we are creating a correction that can be much to hard, and can actually cause serious trauma to the trachea.
Choke Chains can be put on correctly or incorrectly. When the dog is going to walk on your left, you should hold the choker so that it is in the shape of the letter P while you are facing the dog. Put the collar on in this position. Then when the dog is on your left and you give a quick tug to correct, it will tighten slightly and then relax when you let up on the pressure. Put the collar on incorrectly and it will not release once you've pulled on it. This can be confusing to the dog and dangerous. Choke chains are not about choking the dog. They are about very quick and very brief corrections. In fact, it is more about the noise of the choker than the actual physical sensation of it that corrects the dog. They can be useful, but like the pincher collar, one should consult a professional for instruction to proper use before using it for training.
Neither pinch collars nor choke chains are meant to be worn 24/7. These collars should only be put on for training/walking and the dog should be supervised at all times while wearing one of these collars. An unsupervised dog wearing a choke chain or pinch collar can accidentally get the collar caught on something and in their effort to free themselves can literally strangle to death. Do not put the dog tags on a choke chain or pinch collar and declare that to be your dog's collar. Tags should go on an every-day collar that is nylon or leather and flat or rolled. These collars fit snugly and are significantly less likely to get caught on anything.
Traditional harnesses are great if your dog does not pull you or if you have a very small dog with a sensitive trachea/throat. You can teach a dog to walk nicely with a traditional harness, but if you find that even your teeny chihuahua is pulling on a traditional harness, the Gentle Lead makes a petite size.
Necessary tools for training a dog to walk nicely on a leash:
1. Collar - nylon or leather, properly fitted
2. Leash - nylon or leather. 4-foot or 6-foot
3. Treats or favorite toy
4. Heaps of praise
5. Piles of paitence
The first efforts should be made with a regular nylon or leather collar fitted properly on the dog's neck. A collar fits properly when you can slip two fingers between the collar and the neck. By being snug like this, you avoid the mistake many owners make of leaving the collar too loose, allowing the dog to slip right out of the collar by backing up. By ensuring that you can slide just two fingers (if you're a very large person with large fingers and/or you're dealing with a very small dog, then one finger is good) between the neck and the collar, you allow the dog to swallow easily and when he scratches, the collar will spin around his neck. The two-finger rule keeps the collar loose enough to be comfortable and snug enough to be secure.
Do not begin training a dog to walk nicely on a leash with a retractable leash. If your dog currently pulls on the leash during a walk, and you give him the space and distance provided by a retractable leash, you will encourage his tendency to pull. He will simply move all the way to the end of the leash (usually about 16 feet) and then pull just as hard, which actually means you have much less control over him. In the beginning stages of learning to walk nicely on a leash, it is important that the dog be close to you and learn to focus on you so that they can take their cue as to when and where to move from you.
So, you have your dog's nylon or leather collar properly fitted and on. You have a 4-foot or 6-foot nylon or leather leash attached to his collar. You are ready to go! Or are you? Make sure you have some treats with you or a favorite toy. You will use these things to get your dog's attention and to help him to focus on you during the walk and not focus with his nose to the ground, pulling you along as if you weren't even there.
OK, to start: Ideally your dog already knows the command "sit." Use this to your advantage. When you get the leash ready, or even before you get the leash if your dog gets very excited by the presence of the leash, tell Socks to "sit." Once Socks is sitting, put his leash on the collar. Do not make a big deal out of this as you do not want to get him riled and pulling you before you've even reached the door. Simply attach the leash without a word. Once you've done this, position the dog on the side of you that you wish him to walk. I will,for discussion purposes have the dog placed on my left side. If you want the dog on your right, then simply reverse the hands in which you hold the various items as I describe them here. Position Socks in a "sit" on your left side. Hold his leash in your RIGHT hand. That's correct - Socks is on your left and the leash is in your RIGHT hand (the leash should be in front of you, not behind you). In your left hand, the hand near Socks, you will have a few tasty morsels of food or his favorite toy. Keep your left hand at your side. Pretend there is a pin holding your left wrist to your left pant seam. This is the best spot for your hand. In this position, your dog can smell what's in your hand without having to jump and without you having to bend over. If you hold your hand in front of you, the dog will be a step or two in front of you. If you hold your hand behind you or out/away from your body, your dog will be behind you or pulling away from you - increasing his distance from you. You want your dog to be near you and focused on you. Right now we're getting him focused on your hand. He can sniff and even lick your hand, but do not offer him a treat during this phase. Stand next to Socks and wait until you are certain that he's calm. Once he's calm you can tell him your command to walk with you. Some options are "Let's go" "Follow" "Walk with me" or "walk." I am specifically not using the command "heel" here because that is a specific type of walking that we will get to after Socks has learned to simply walk without dragging you down the street.
When Socks is calm, you will tell him "Let's go" as you begin to take your first step. It's important that your commands occur as you move. If you stand perfectly still and tell Socks, "let's go" what is he supposed to think you mean. If you are moving forward and say "let's go" he is likely to follow you simply as a reaction to your movement and because he is attached to you by the leash. This is how we begin to associate for him that the words "let's go" mean 'move forward with me.' When you open the door, you should be moving through the door first as this will help Socks understand that he should be looking to you for direction. Also, moving through doorways first is a signal in the doggie world as to who is in charge. If your dog leads you out of the house, then your dog is going to lead you on the walk as well. If, when you open the door, he tries to charge through it, tell him "no sir." Take a few steps back into the house so that he has to move back to you. Stand at the door and put him in a proper sit next to you. Open the door. Stand still with him in a sit at the door and just wait calmly until he relaxes. This may take several minutes. Be patient. Your aim in this is not the walk itself, but the training of how to walk. You may not make it very far in the first several walks. Train when you have at least an hour to work with Socks. Take a few deep, cleansing breaths and think calming thoughts. Your calm energy will feed directly down the leash and to your dog. When he stops fidgeting and trying to get up, when he surrenders to sitting quietly and calmly at the open door, take a step forward as you tell him "let's go." Take your time closing and locking the door just as you normally would. Do not rush the process or you will get Socks worked up again. You may need to start all over again with a sit that lasts a few minutes just outside the now closed door before you can begin to actually move.
Once outside and walking, try to maintain a normal walking pace. Do not move super slow or significantly faster than you would normally like to be walking. Socks needs to learn to move at your pace. As you walk, you should praise him after a few steps of moving nicely with you. If he is walking nicely - not pulling - you should praise a lot. Praise can be almost continual if need be so that you can really drive home for him that he's doing what you are asking. In the beginning you will offer him a treat every 4 steps or so. Once he starts to get the hang of it, offer him a treat every 15th or 20th step, then every 50th pace, then just once in a while. Continue the verbal praise throughout.
IMPORTANT: When you offer Socks his treat for walking nicely, be sure that you do it while moving at your normal walking pace. If you stop to give him the treat, then he will learn that when he stops he gets a treat. This will result in a dog that takes a few steps and stops. That will be a very slow-going walk. If you give him a treat while walking at a normal pace, he will associate the treat with the nice forward movement he is making.
Throughout the walk there should be slack in the leash. Think of the leash as your emergency break, not as your reign. If the dog is focused on you and paying attention to your movement, then your movement will tell him where to go next (left, right, turn around, back up, stop). The leash is there just in case he tries to chase something, or is suddenly in the way of something and you need to move him unexpectedly. The leash is there because the law says we must have control over our dogs at all times while in public and that's appropriate. But the walk should be a united effort and you should not have any tension in your leash at all. In fact, if you find you are unable to train without holding the leash tight, try tying it through your belt loops. Leave it loose enough that when your dog is standing next to you there is a nice U shape to the leash - a bit of slack between the connection to you and the attachment to your dog. Walk him that way and see if he finds it easier to do.
If Socks does start to pull on the leash, simply stop moving. Stand completely still. Become a tree and plant your feet firmly in place. Tell Socks, "Not it" or "No sir/ma'am" whatever command you want to use to tell him he has done something wrong. You are not trying to punish him, simply make it clear that he has made the wrong choice. You will then help him to make the right choice. How?
While standing still, tell Socks in a very sweet voice, "Socks, by me." and show him a treat. Keep the treat in your left hand (the hand on the side where you want the dog). Bend at the waist if you need and hold the treat as close as you can to Socks' nose, but DO NOT LET HIM HAVE THE TREAT!!!! Slowly move your hand with the treat in it in a big semi-circle. You are going to lead Socks by the nose away from you, slightly behind you and then back to position one - by your side and ready to walk. Once he is back in the right position and calm, tell him "Good boy. Let's walk" and start moving forward again.
If he begins to take a step or two in front of you, but he is not yet actually pulling the leash, you can tell him, "easy" or "slow" and give a very quick jerk on the leash. This should be a wrist-flick. You are not to pull the leash back toward you as the force of you pulling will only cause Socks to pull harder in the forward direction. This is a very fast and brief jerk on the leash either in an upward motion or to the side (toward you). You are not jerking back and you are not pulling back. The purpose of this is to break his concentration and remind him he should be focused on you. Continue to praise and periodically treat him when he is doing well.
Be sure that you do not allow him to pull you along. As soon as there is tension on the leash, you stop and plant yourself firmly in place. Wait for him to calm on his own and return to you, or use the "by me" technique to bring him back to your side. Only when he is calm and by your side does he get the reward of forward movement.
Remember, to a dog, the walk itself is reward enough. Dogs like to walk. They like to move and sniff and see things. They like to investigate. Standing still does not provide much opportunity for investigating. If they want to move forward, they must do so politely. Most dogs who get regular daily practice at walking on a leash, will learn quite quickly that they only get the joy of forward movement when they stay near their human and periodically look to their human for direction.
If your dog does well for 4 or 5 steps and then routinely tries to run ahead, you can practice by changing directions frequently. If Socks never knows where you're going to go next and you are changing directions and speed (from normal to slow to jogging to slow to normal) randomly every handful of steps, Socks will be forced to pay more attention to you lest he get stepped on or dragged along.
If Socks stops to sniff something, it's OK for you to give a tug on the leash to get him moving again. It is not OK for him to give a tug on the leash to get you moving again. If you want to stop and chat with a neighbor, Socks should remain calm and near you, not trying to get you moving again.
Whenever you do come to a stop, you can tell Socks to "sit." After many, many repetitions, Socks should begin to sit automatically every time you stop. This is ideal so that if you do stop to speak with a neighbor, or if you're at the local pet store and want to read the label on a product, Socks will know that since you are not moving, he should be sitting. If he is sitting, he is not pulling on the leash.
Practice crossing streets with Socks. Whenever you are going to cross a street, even if there are no cars coming, stop at the curb and make sure he sits first. Ideally try to time it so that there are cars coming. Stop at the curb and tell Socks to "sit." As the car approaches, tell Socks, "Wait" or "Car" or whatever you'd like. Wait for the car to pass. Then tell him "Let's cross." I do not know for certain that it will work with every dog, but some dogs will make the association with crossing the street that they should wait for cars to pass first. This can help save their lives should they get out while off leash.
Walks should be made up of two parts: walking and sniffing/exploring/investigating. How you divide up this time is somewhat dependent on Socks' potty habits. If he potties at the beginning of the walk, you will need to begin the walk with some sniffing time either on your property or just off your property so that he can tend to that business. If he prefers to potty in the middle of a walk or he waits until it's clear that the walk is over, then you can begin with walking straight away.
Not everyone has time to take their dog out for 30-60 minute walks 2 or 3 times per day. Our lives are just too hectic, and while we'd love to be able to give our dogs that much exercise and have that much quality time with our pups, it's often just not possible. So the timing of your walking/exploring will need to be adjusted for your circumstances. Also, very little dogs (miniatures and tea cups) are not going to go as far as quickly as larger dogs. Instead of using minutes, I will use distances as a guideline. You should have Socks walk nicely with you for one or two residential blocks. This is walking with his head high, and moving at a comfortable pace with you. He is focused on forward motion and looking to you for direction. Once the two of you have walked comfortably a block or two, give him a couple minutes to explore. You can set your sights on a particular mailbox or tree, or an empty lot if there's one near by. Walk to this location and give him some freedom by telling him "free." If you are not using a retractable leash, you can simply step onto the grass and allow him to move. During this portion of the walk, you will follow him around, within reason. After 2-5 minutes (however long you have available to you), tell Socks, "Let's go." and start the walk again. Ideally you will repeat the process at least once more - away from the house. Then on the return trip, you can walk halfway back to the house, stop for a brief investigation and then return home. If you are walking around the block instead of out and back, you can do the first two walk/sniff sections in the first half of the distance and then double the length of the walk time between sniffs on the back half of the walk.
Once you get back to your property, allow him to sniff around before bringing him back inside. Once inside, you can avoid the I've-returned-home-from-an-awesome-outing frenzy by immediately giving him something specific to do such as a drink of water or an ice cube if it's hot out. If Socks will spend a couple minutes licking at and eating an ice cube, then he will calm from that outing energy before he has a chance to spazz out and you will find he is calm and relaxed without much effort on your part.
A NOTE ABOUT HEELING
Heeling is the specific placement of your dog to your side. When in a proper 'heel' Sock's shoulder should always be in line with your knee. This is different from walking nicely in that it is much more rigid in placement. When walking nicely, it is OK if the dog is a half pace ahead or behind, so long as there is no tension on the leash and so long as Socks looks to you periodically for direction. In heeling, there is no room for this half-pace off placement. He must have his shoulder in line with the knee nearest him. Also, part of "heel" is the process of taking up residence in this position beside you - ready to walk. The actual command "heel" is usually taught as the movement from where ever the dog is (possibly sitting in front of you and facing you) around your right side, behind your back and taking up a seated position at your left side. Many handlers will often use "Heel up" to get the dog in place and "Heel" to start the dog walking.
For most pet owners who simply want to be able to enjoy a nice walk with their dog, heeling is not necessary. Simply walking nicely on a leash is sufficient.
A NOTE ON RETRACTABLE LEASHES
Retractable leashes are nice because they can allow your dog a little extra freedom of movement while still being attached to you. Once your dog consistently walks nicely on a leash, you can upgrade to a retractable leash. They come in 10-foot, 16-foot and 26-foot lengths. During the actual walking part of the walk, you should keep the leash locked down to a standard 4-6 foot length so that Socks is restricted and so that there remains some slack in the leash. Once you get to an area where a little bit of freedom is an option - an open field, a grassy area, etc., you can release the lock and tell Socks, "Free." This way he will learn that he has some freedom to move around. This allows you to stand still and stay off the wet grass, or you can stay in the shade while Socks is exploring a bit for just the right potty spot. After he has had some freedom for a few minutes, call him to you, shorten the leash and lock it in at the 4- or 6-foot length and tell Socks, "Let's walk." He will learn quickly that a reward for walking nicely with you is that at some point you will tell him "free" and give him a chance to sniff and explore.
A NOTE ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLARS AND HARNESSES
Most dogs will learn to walk very nicely just using their regular nylon or leather collar. Some dogs are particularly determined, or the owner for whatever reason does not feel they have sufficient control over the dog. There are some options available. My personal favorites are the Gentle Lead Face Collar and the Gentle Lead Harness.
The Gentle Lead Face Collar works much like a horse bridle. If the dog pulls ahead, the collar pulls his head so that he is suddenly looking over his shoulder. If he pulls very hard, he will end up turning himself 180 degrees and face you. It has a loop that goes around the dog's nose, up under the eyes and a collar that snaps snugly behind his ears. This product comes with a CD-ROM to show exactly how to get the right fit. The collar part should be just behind the ears, not low on the neck. It should be snug enough that you can barely squeeze one finger between the collar and his head. The face part should fit around his face, near his eyes, but not rubbing/irritating his eyes. The adjustment should be snug under his chin. The line from the face loop and the line from the collar part should make a nice V shape. This provides a secure fit without irritating the dog. The CD-ROM also has chapters to show various ways of getting the dog acclimated to wearing a face collar.
The Gentle Lead Harness is not like the traditional harness styles. Traditional harness styles have the leash attachment on the dog's back. The Gentle Lead Harness has the leash attachment on the dog's chest. This allows it to work much like the face collar. If the dog pulls, the harness will tug on the dog's shoulder a little. This will cause him to turn completely around and face you if he pulls hard enough. Many dogs who have difficulty acclimating to the face collar, or have a short enough snout that a proper fit is difficult or impossible to achieve with the face collar, do quite well with the harness. Both of the Gentle Lead products work very well. Most dogs will stop pulling instantly and walk nicer for you. But, it is not the ideal way to train the dog to walk in that they are not choosing to walk nicely with you by their own motivation. A dog who walks with you because they want to walk with you is a dog that sees you as their leader. These collars are not harmful and I have used them. But if you can teach the dog to walk with you because they want to follow you, all the better.
Pinch collars are often used with large dogs or dogs that pull exceedingly hard. Mostly I see these collars on so-called bully breeds or used by owners who have no clear understanding of how to lead their dogs. Pinch collars can be useful with certain dogs - especially those trained in police work or protection. If a dog is trained to attack, they are often less sensitive physically and require something like a pinch collar to be effective. However, it is important that when one uses a pinch collar, it must be fitted properly. If it is too loose it can cause serious damage to the dog or be completely ineffectual. If it is too tight it can cause serious damage to the dog. And if it is used improperly it can cause serious damage to the dog. A pinch collar works by applying pressure that feels vaguely similar to that of another dog's bite. A type of correction a dog would get from another dog. But most people are used to the concept of choke chains and they are used to pulling on leads and chokers and they want to pull on a pinch collar as well. This is EXACTLY WRONG. A pinch collar is meant to tighten as the dog pulls forward. The dog's own movement will correct it as the collar tightens and when the dog stops moving forward, or moves back toward you, the collar relaxes and so does the correction. If we pull on it, we are creating a correction that can be much to hard, and can actually cause serious trauma to the trachea.
Choke Chains can be put on correctly or incorrectly. When the dog is going to walk on your left, you should hold the choker so that it is in the shape of the letter P while you are facing the dog. Put the collar on in this position. Then when the dog is on your left and you give a quick tug to correct, it will tighten slightly and then relax when you let up on the pressure. Put the collar on incorrectly and it will not release once you've pulled on it. This can be confusing to the dog and dangerous. Choke chains are not about choking the dog. They are about very quick and very brief corrections. In fact, it is more about the noise of the choker than the actual physical sensation of it that corrects the dog. They can be useful, but like the pincher collar, one should consult a professional for instruction to proper use before using it for training.
Neither pinch collars nor choke chains are meant to be worn 24/7. These collars should only be put on for training/walking and the dog should be supervised at all times while wearing one of these collars. An unsupervised dog wearing a choke chain or pinch collar can accidentally get the collar caught on something and in their effort to free themselves can literally strangle to death. Do not put the dog tags on a choke chain or pinch collar and declare that to be your dog's collar. Tags should go on an every-day collar that is nylon or leather and flat or rolled. These collars fit snugly and are significantly less likely to get caught on anything.
Traditional harnesses are great if your dog does not pull you or if you have a very small dog with a sensitive trachea/throat. You can teach a dog to walk nicely with a traditional harness, but if you find that even your teeny chihuahua is pulling on a traditional harness, the Gentle Lead makes a petite size.
Posted by The Good Dog Blog at 6/7/2009 10:35 AM 
Categories: Basic Training Issues
Tags: Leash walking pulling tugging walking on leash loose leash walking
Categories: Basic Training Issues
Tags: Leash walking pulling tugging walking on leash loose leash walking
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