How to stop your dog pulling on the leash

Why dogs pull

To a dog, we walk painfully slowly, in straight lines, past all the interesting smells. Pulling is the obvious solution, and every time it gets the dog to the next lamppost a little faster, it is rewarded.

Loose-leash walking is a skill, not something dogs know. The good news is that it is one of the most teachable skills there is, as long as pulling stops paying off.

The right equipment

• A front-clip harness, where the leash attaches at the chest. When the dog pulls, it is gently turned to the side. It manages pulling while you train, without pressure on the neck.
• A standard leash of about six feet (1.8 m). It gives your dog room to sniff without being able to rush ahead.
• A treat pouch and small, soft treats. You will use a lot of them at first.

Skip retractable leashes while training: they teach the dog that pulling extends the leash. Veterinary behavior organizations advise against choke and prong collars, which work by causing discomfort and can make dogs more reactive.

Three drills that work

1. Pay for position

   Start indoors or in the yard, where nothing is exciting. Pick a side. Every time your dog is next to your leg, deliver a treat right there, at the seam of your trousers. Walk a few steps, reward, repeat. You are teaching the dog that the place next to you is the best place in the world.

2. Be a tree

   On walks, the moment the leash goes tight, stop. Stand still and wait. When your dog turns back or the leash slackens, say "yes" and move forward again. Pulling now stops the walk; a loose leash keeps it going. The first few walks will be slow. Stick with it.

3. Turn and go

   If your dog surges ahead, cheerfully say "this way" and walk in the opposite direction. When your dog catches up and is beside you, reward. Changes of direction keep your dog paying attention to where you are going.

Make it easy to succeed

• Train in boring places first, then move to busier streets once the skill is solid.
• Use sniffing as a reward. After a stretch of loose-leash walking, say "go sniff" and let your dog explore.
• Burn off energy first. A game of fetch before a training walk makes it easier for a young dog to focus.
• Keep sessions short. Ten good minutes beats forty frustrating ones.
• Separate training walks and "getting there" walks while you practice, and use the front-clip harness on the latter.

Pulling or reactivity?

Ordinary pulling is a dog in a hurry. Reactivity is different: the dog lunges, barks or growls at specific things, such as other dogs, bikes or people. The drills above help with general manners but are not enough on their own for reactivity. If that sounds like your dog, increase the distance from triggers, read our anxiety guide, and see our review of Solve Dog Reactivity, a program built for exactly that problem.

If you want a full program

Loose-leash walking depends on focus and impulse control, the two skills Brain Training for Dogs is designed to build. For walks dominated by lunging and barking at triggers, the specialist option is Solve Dog Reactivity.