Master the Walk Before You Leave the House

We are finally getting there…Spring is in the air!  I’m excited for Daylight Savings, even though we lose an hour of sleep, it’s worth it as it gives us more time to get outside with our Doggos….this leads me to think about leash skills.

If you are welcoming a new puppy into your family, be mindful of those leash walks…puppies require lots of little potty breaks, and if they practice pulling on that leash every time they take a potty break, this is what they will learn. Instead, while you are out with them, before they get to the end of the leash, encourage them to move closer to you by using a fun noise or movement so that the leash stays loose. 

A Common misunderstanding:

It’s common to feel like dogs need long walks so we push through even when leash skills aren’t solid yet and our dogs are pulling us along. This gives dogs lots of practice pulling and tugging, learning that this is how they get to all those wonderful smells.

Or maybe you get so frustrated on walks that you only tackle the chore once in a while. This can lead to your dog getting so excited for this once-in-a-while special treat that they cannot contain their energy, leading to things being even more challenging.  

You’ll see more progress with regular, short, consistent, low-pressure practice sessions. A five-minute nice, loose leash walk a couple of times a day will be much more enjoyable for everyone than a 30-minute walk that leads to our dogs pulling at least half the time and us feeling frustrated and often defeated because we think that our dog is never going to get it.

Keep things short and successful, and add duration to your walks as your dog progresses and is ready.  Meet your pup’s needs by adding training games, enrichment, sniffing time, and mental activities at home. A walk is really just an appetizer — most of us humans don’t move fast enough or go far enough to truly wear our dogs out, so enrichment and training at home play a big role in meeting our pups’ needs.

Start your leash conversation without the leash! This creates a strong foundation by helping you communicate clearly using your voice and movement rather than relying on equipment. Once a leash is in our hands, we often rely on it to stop and turn rather than our verbal cues. 

Start in the house where there are no distractions. It may help to use a long wall, like a hallway, as a guide to help your dog understand where they should be. Add distractions, such as noise or family members, a little at a time.  Then take it outside in a fenced yard; you can also use the fence as a guide. Start adding distractions such as other family members, sounds, etc., a little at a time.

When you are ready, add the leash and go back through the first steps of this exercise in the house or yard while holding a nice, loose leash. 

When ready, add distance to your walks: 

Remember that leash manners take a lot of patience and practice…we are asking a lot of our dogs. We take them places with lots of smells and things to explore, then we ask them to walk slowly, right by our side, ignoring all the enriching smells and things to investigate. Have your dog practice walking by your side now and then for a few steps, then release them to explore and sniff. This is their walk! If you are walking for your physical fitness goals….leave your dog at home!

It’s best to start with realistic expectations based on your dog's age and skill level. It’s important that your dog is not able to pull you to something that they want to sniff…this is self-rewarding. Think like a tree and grow roots!

Every dog learns differently; one approach may work really well for one dog but not at all for another. You will build a conversation that works for both you and your dog, provided that your message is clear…  tension on the leash equals forward motion stops …a loose leash equals forward motion.

Giving your dog more freedom: I’ll use my cues here, but you use what fits your conversation; just be consistent.

Start off with your dog by your side for a few steps, then release them; “Okay, go play” to let them go investigate and sniff. If your dog pulls, turn and walk the other way. This will result in the leash being loose once again. Your dog will still be able to explore, but with a loose leash. Every time your dog pulls, creating tension on the leash, turn and walk the other way…. your message: “No forward motion if the leash is taught.”  

If you are unable to fully turn around and walk the other way…take a few steps in the opposite direction, causing the leash to be loose before resuming your original direction. Or just stop and wait for your dog  to take a step towards you, creating slack in the leash…mark the second the leash goes soft…and resume your walk. Again, your message is always “Forward motion stops when the leash gets tight.”

While out and about on walks, I like to use lots of treats… this is a personal preference, as it’s common to hear people say they don’t want to have to deliver treats all the time. I do agree with this 100% in most situations… but when it comes to my dog choosing me over all the wonderful stimuli the world has to offer or a strong immediate Recall….I will always encourage that! For everything else I’ll rely on the lottery approach! 😁

Every time that you add distractions and/or change locations, your dog will be excited to explore the new place…give them a good ten to fifteen minutes to get some good sniffs in before you start your walk. Be prepared to make things a little easier for your dog, you may need a higher rate of reward as well as a higher value reward to keep their attention until the new place becomes more familiar to them…. Dogs need our help generalizing!

Consistency is key  Think about your expectations… and decide on your criteria and do your best to stick with it. This applies to all behaviors, not just leash pulling. This can be really hard for us humans because our tolerance naturally changes from day to day. Our patience depends on our mood, how much time we have, what kind of day we’re having — honestly, a million little things influence how we respond. But for our dogs, life is much simpler. They don’t understand those shifting variables. To them, X = Y, every time. What helps them most — and what is fairest to them — is clear, consistent communication so they know exactly what works and what doesn’t, and what to expect…. every time!  None of us is perfectly consistent all the time. We’re human! The goal isn’t perfection — it’s simply trying to be as clear and predictable as we can for our dogs. ---------------------------------------

~Jill Kudera CPDT-KA Certified Professional Dog Trainer

 Licensed and Insured

 Licensed Veterinary Technician

 Canine and Feline CPR and First Aid Certified