Many dog guardians find walking with their dog to be one of the most frustrating times of their day. You start your walk with good intentions, but the moment you step outside, your dog is charging ahead, straining against the leash as they drag you down the street seemingly ignoring you.
It’s easy to feel defeated. You may find yourself instinctively tugging on the leash, scolding your dog, or even considering prong collars out of desperation. But these responses don't solve the problem and often make things worse.
Dogs pull on leashes for one simple reason: it works. When they pull toward a smell, a person, or another dog, they usually get closer to it. The behavior is self-rewarding, meaning it reinforces itself.
On top of that, most dogs have never actually been taught an alternative behaviour. They aren’t being stubborn—they just don’t know what they’re supposed to do differently.
The good news is, loose leash walking can be taught using kind, effective methods that help your dog learn to stay close to you because they want to.
A fun, reward-based method
Here’s a simple, enjoyable technique you can use starting today:
- When your dog starts to pull, stop walking.
- Call your dog back to you using a joyful, upbeat voice—something like, “Nova, come.”
- When they voluntarily return and stand near your feet, with the leash slack, reward them with a high-value treat (something extra tasty they don’t often get).
- Continue walking. Repeat every time they pull.
With consistency, your dog will begin to realize that walking near you brings the good stuff. The leash becomes loose not because you're forcing it, but because your dog chooses to be with you. It becomes a game—stay close, get a treat!—and it builds a habit.
Do you have to use treats forever? The answer is: no. As your dog learns their new skill, you’ll gradually fade out treats, just like we phase out training wheels on a bike. Over time, staying close to you will become the norm, and treats can become less frequent when combined with praise, play, or permission to sniff.
What if your dog keeps pulling?
If your dog is fixated—on another dog, person, or smell—and doesn’t respond to your joyful recall, you can use the turn and go method.
- Say, “We’re going back,” in a calm, matter-of-fact voice.
- Turn around with your dog and walk in the opposite direction, away from whatever your dog was pulling toward.
- After 20–30 steps, if the trigger is gone, you can turn back and continue your walk.
This method teaches your dog that pulling doesn’t get them closer to the things they want—it actually takes them farther away. With repetition, dogs begin to make the connection and pulling decreases.
Loose leash walking takes patience, but it’s one of the most rewarding skills you can teach. By shifting your focus from punishment to teaching, you and your dog can enjoy walks that feel less like a tug-of-war and more like a shared adventure.
