Loose Leash Walking
Basic Manners · 16 steps · by Push Drop Stick
Your Dog will learn to walk on a leash without pulling, in normal conditions, for occasional treats.
Dogs pull simply because they naturally walk faster than we do. The goal of this plan is to teach Your Dog that a loose leash, not a tight one, is what keeps the walk moving forward.
This plan adjusts 3 main parameters to set Your Dog up for success: - How much energy Your Dog has before a walk. - How distracting the location is. - How often you give Your Dog a treat.
**If Your Dog pulls:** Stop walking immediately and wait for the leash to go slack before continuing. Alternatively, turn the other way or prompt Your Dog back to your side. Never take a step forward on a tight leash, as that reinforces pulling.
**Heel Position:** In this plan, Your Dog is not required to walk in a heel position, as long as they are not pulling. Feeding all reinforcement in heel position, and training a basic heel before starting, can help Your Dog develop a bias to walk there and learn to pay more attention to you while on-leash.
**Recommended Gear:** A well-fitted harness is the most comfortable option for Your Dog on a leash, and a flat collar is best kept for ID tags or as a backup attachment. A no-pull harness, which clips at the front, gives you extra leverage and redirects Your Dog without any pressure on their throat. It is especially helpful for heavy pullers, for dogs strong enough to pull their handler off their feet, or just to boost success while you train. If Your Dog is unsure or afraid of wearing a harness, work through the Harness plan first.
**Head-Harnesses:** For the biggest size mismatches, such as a large, powerful dog and a smaller handler, a head-harness offers even more control. It works through gentle leverage, not pain: with the leash clipped at the nose, Your Dog's body follows their head, much like a halter steers a horse, so even a small handler can steer a big, strong dog without any pressure on the throat. The nose strap takes some getting used to, so introduce it slowly with the Head-Harness plan first.
Training steps
On a quiet street, feed 15 treats a minute, pre-exercised
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
Pre-exercise Your Dog so they have less energy during training. Reinforce Your Dog for walking without pulling, using 15 treats per minute, which averages out to a treat every 6 to 7 steps. If Your Dog pulls, stop walking to avoid reinforcing the pulling.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a quiet street, feed 10 treats a minute, pre-exercised
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
Pre-exercise Your Dog so they have less energy during training. Reinforce Your Dog for walking without pulling, using 10 treats per minute, which averages out to a treat every 10 steps. If Your Dog pulls, stop walking to avoid reinforcing the pulling.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a quiet street, feed 8 treats a minute, pre-exercised
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
8 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 12 to 13 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a quiet street, feed 6 treats a minute, pre-exercised
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
6 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 16 to 17 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a quiet street, feed 4 treats a minute, pre-exercised
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
4 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 25 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Add the verbal cue
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
On a quiet street, with Your Dog pre-exercised so they have less energy during training, say 'Let's go' and start walking. Feed 4 treats per minute.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a quiet street, feed 15 treats a minute
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
On a quiet street, reinforce Your Dog for walking without pulling. 15 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 6 to 7 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a quiet street, feed 10 treats a minute
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
On a quiet street, reinforce Your Dog for walking without pulling. 10 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 10 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a quiet street, feed 8 treats a minute
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
On a quiet street, reinforce Your Dog for walking without pulling. 8 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 12 to 13 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a quiet street, feed 4 treats a minute
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
On a quiet street, reinforce Your Dog for walking without pulling. 4 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 25 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a busy street, feed 15 treats a minute
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
On a busy street, reinforce Your Dog for walking without pulling. 15 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 6 to 7 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a busy street, feed 10 treats a minute
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
On a busy street, reinforce Your Dog for walking without pulling. 10 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 10 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a busy street, feed 8 treats a minute
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
8 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 12 to 13 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a busy street, feed 6 treats a minute
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
6 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 16 to 17 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a busy street, feed 4 treats a minute
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
4 treats per minute averages out to a treat every 25 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
On a busy street, feed 1 treat a minute
Setup: Your Dog is on-leash.
1 treat per minute averages out to a treat every 100 steps.
Success: Your Dog walks without pulling for 1 minute.
Advance on: 4 of 5 successes
Good job! You've laid a strong foundation for Loose Leash Walking.
Now it's time to proof Your Dog's new skill. You can restart the plan using proof steps, or play games with the goals you just earned. Practice both in different locations and around distractions.