Walking a dog has little to do with “walking”. He do have to do with offering your dog the choice to stop and smell his world – and yes – it can be done without pulling you down the street. Unless you are participating in obedience trials, there is no need to teach a dog to heel when training a dog on a leash. Instead, teach walking on a loose leash. Your dog learns that each time he touches the end of the leash, at the slightest tension, he learns to release his own tension. Therefore, we can give our dogs the leash length we want, depending on the environment in which we find ourselves. If there is no one else on the sidewalk, let your dog have the full 6 foot leash, to roam free, stop and smell as she chooses. If someone else walks up to you on the sidewalk, simply shorten the leash and when the dog senses the tension, he will then release that tension and walk on that shorter leash. When the way is clear, move forward and give him the full length of the leash.
SNIffAri has become the password to letting dogs sniff at their heart’s desire, while walking on a loose leash. Leash walking should be fluid, given what is happening at the time and in a given environment. When we provide this kind of freedom to dogs, we respond to their instinctual needs to use their strongest senses to their greatest pleasure, making walks more enjoyable for them and for us. Of course, we want to be able to control our dog on a leash for obvious safety reasons and because there is a leash law in most states, but that doesn’t mean we have to have them walk alongside us, at the heel, taking away from their basic need and right to be a dog and do what dogs do – sniff. It’s the human thing to do.
What You’ll Need For Dog Leash Training
Paul Owens, the Original Dog Whisperersays the most important part of training a dog to walk on a leash is being prepared Before even start training on a leash. Putting dogs in a condition for success in terms of safety, comfort, and money (motivation) are necessary steps to ensure compliance and a strong desire to be part of the leash training game. Here are those steps:
- Safety and comfort start with a harness that fits properly for your dog’s unique size and shape while ensuring your dog can’t slip off.
- High value treats – pieces of chicken, hot dogs, turkey or cheese are essential. When you and your dog have mastered loose leash walking, you can wean your dog off treats, but it’s always a good idea to keep treats with you so that if your dog needs reinforcement as he grows , you are ready to strengthen. Training.
- A 6 foot leash. The best and most common type of leash for general walking is one that is 6 feet long. This gives the dog enough space to explore and feel his world. Pat Miller of Peaceable Paws and contributor to Dogster’s sister publication, Whole Dog Journal, says, “Stay away from retractable leashes. If your dog learns that the leash stretches when he pulls on it, then loose leash training is likely to be a much bigger challenge, not to mention the dangers of a retractable leash tangling around the legs – yours, your dogs and those of another dog or human.
And finally, I totally agree with Paul that training dogs is fun. If we have fun, our dogs have fun. So keep that smile on your face.
How to teach a dog to walk off leash
Have your high-value treats in your treat pouch, a 6-foot leash attached to a snug-fitting harness, and start on familiar grass (your own backyard), with no distractions.
Marking a wanted behavior can occur with a clicker or the word Yes. I mark yes because I find it easier to say yes than to hold a clicker, leash and pay attention to what I’m doing and my dog at the same time.
Keep your hand by your side or on your navel so you won’t be tempted to tug on the leash. Locking your hand to your navel or side all the time, so there is always slack in the leash, gives your dog the chance to realize you’ve moved and can catch up. As soon as you see your dog coming towards you, mark and treat him.
- Start by standing still with your dog close to you and saying “yes” and treating. Repeat, “yes” and treat multiple times so your dog is rewarded for being right next to you on a leash without tension.
- Start walking, just a few steps, paying attention to your dog. If he gets up and walks with you, note the “yes” behavior and deal with it, even if it’s the slightest movement. Any move to get closer to you gets a “yes” and a treat. Stop and start again several times, so that every time you take a step, your dog will too.
- Gradually take more steps, saying “yes” and processing, every 2 or 3 steps.
- Then start making right turns. Every time your dog turns around without you pressing the leash, say “yes” and give him a treat. Remember you have a 6 foot leash so the dog has a moment to catch you when you make a turn. Reward the slightest movement towards you. Taking too many steps between turns can distract your dog, so take lots of turns.
- Once your pup is consistently moving with you, begin to speed up and slow down. Before you know it, your dog is walking with you, spinning with you, moving faster and slower with you, and all on a loose leash. Remember that the sessions should be short – 5 minutes the first sessions in your garden.
- Once your dog has mastered loose leash walking, practice in the real world. Do it gradually, in new places (your front yard), without distractions because the new place is enough distraction.
- Start adding distractions like people or a dog across the street. You want to gradually increase the distractions with new places, so you don’t overwhelm your dog and the dog can be successful. Practice everything you did in your backyard in the real world. Gradually, your dog walks appropriately on a loose leash. Above all, practice, practice, practice!
I’ve had horses all my life, as well as big dogs, and my horses walk on a leash like my dogs. It’s not a matter of strength; it’s about teaching your dog how and then being consistent. It doesn’t matter if you start from a puppy or a large, strong, rescued adult dog. You can teach any dog - at any age – to walk on a loose leash by following this simple method.
It’s not magic, it just takes time and patience. Dogs aren’t born knowing how to walk on a leash, so help them learn and you’ll both reap the benefits.
Let the dog FEEL
When we understand what dogs need to thrive in our human-dominated world, we can let go of the control mindset and think more about seeing the world through their eyes and nose. A dog’s strongest sense is its nose and when you don’t give it time to sniff it, you rob it of its most innate instinct. Why would we do that, especially when for many dogs the walk is the highlight of their day? Alexandra Horowitz, bestselling author of Inside a dog and many other books, created this wonderful Ted-Ed, video, showing How Dogs Smell and once you watch it, walking your dog will never be the same.
