Leash work is not the easiest concept to teach a dog, but once learned it is a wonderful thing. Set your dog up for success by exercising before practicing and choosing one side for your dog to walk on. Remember it is our job to keep our end of the leash loose, don’t pull on a leash or give leash corrections.
Method 1:
Using a treat or toy as a lure hold the lure from in front of the dog’s nose by your side as you walk. Give the reward parallel to your leg, by the knee. If your dog gets off track try to guide them back in place by showing them the lure again. Try to only focus on the successes and not the failures. Encourage your dog with your voice and by patting your leg if you need to. Try to be the most interesting thing in the area.
Method 2:
Walking briskly give your dog enough leash so that it has the option to be close but no more than three or four feet away from your side. If your dog lags behind you try to prompt it forward using your voice. If your dog pulls ahead of you, quickly turn around away from your dog and walk the opposite direction. Reward by dropping treats parallel to your leg to encourage your dog to keep track of your movement.
Method 3:
Some dogs may need a little more help learning to walk on a loose leash without pulling. You may use a head harness or a front clip body harness to help reduce the force your dog can pull with. Remember that these are product solutions but should be paired with training so you don’t become dependent on the equipment. Never give corrections using these types of devices as it can hurt your dog if you do.
