Who’s Walking Who? Teaching Your Dog to Be a Polite Walking Partner
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Most people think leash walks are about burning off energy. That’s certainly one benefit, but in reality they’re about building a technical skillset as a team. The right approach will make every outing you take with your dog both safer and more enjoyable. Your leash and how well your dog walks with it is the gateway to an enriching life outside of the home. Just like humans, lifelong stimulation and novel experience for dogs is foundational to both happiness and health.
In my work as a professional dog trainer, I know that teaching enjoyable leash walking skills can be a real challenge and one of the most common reasons a client enlists my help after they’ve brought a new dog into their home. Every dog is different, but here are some key points I find helpful on the journey to safe and successful leash walking:
Quality Walks Matter More Than Distance
No one wants to be dragged down the sidewalk. It’s unpleasant and dangerous. Losing control of your dog can easily result in traffic injuries, dog fights and a stressful chase to capture a dog running loose. It’s not uncommon for the human handler to be seriously injured, especially with a larger and more powerful pup. Reliable leash skills are a liability safeguard and a foundation for a calmer public life with your dog.
With that in mind, reframe walks as training opportunities first and focus on destinations second. Leash walking skills are foundational for your dog’s entire experience of the outside world, from lazy days in the park to mountain hikes to sunny days at the beach. It can understandably be a challenge, but the payoff of early preparation is worth it!
Choosing the Right Leash Training Tools for Your Dog
Neck collars are probably the most popular visual that the general public has for walking dogs. Although a dog can certainly learn to walk on a neck collar effectively, it’s important to understand that many dogs will naturally lean into neck pressure (the body’s survival response to avoid strangulation), which typically triggers the body into heightening emotional arousal, resulting in reactivity.
Under the category of neck collars and restraints, there are various options with different functions:
Flat Buckle Collar
A flat buckle collar doesn’t tighten around the neck and the circumference doesn’t change with pressure, but it is easier for a dog to slip out of said collar, if it’s loose enough.
Martingale Collar
A martingale collar will tighten under pressure to avoid a dog slipping out, but can only tighten to a certain degree.
Choke Collar
A slip lead or choke collar tightens under pressure as long as pressure is maintained.
Back Clip Harness
Back-clip harnesses reduce neck strain, and that’s why many owners are drawn to try them. However, if a dog doesn’t already know how to walk well on a leash, they actually encourage stronger pulling. Just like sled dogs or draft horses, lead pressure directed at the dog’s center of gravity from behind enables them the most power to pull forward against the lead.
Halter
Head collars/halters guide an animal from the skull for precise control with minimal force, which is why large animals like horses, cows, llamas, sheep and goats are led by them. These are not an option for flat-flaced breeds, who don’t have adequate muzzle length. They can be a really efficient and effective tool for providing owners with an easier ability to guide their dogs movement and choices, without relying on excessive force or aversive responses. Some designs place the point of lead connection at the back of the skull, but I generally find the lead placement underneath the dog’s chin, in front of the body, to be most helpful (just like leading a horse).
Front Clip Harness
Front-clip harnesses redirect forward drive by turning the dog from their chest. Unlike a back clip harness, this can be a helpful option for brachycephalic breeds and dogs who are unable to tolerate equipment on their face or neck. Some designs can inhibit shoulder mobility and create unwelcome orthopedic effects, so my favorite options have a clip on the chest panel, but with no horizontal strap blocking the front legs’ natural extension.
Aversive tools like prong/choke collars and electric/stim collars can be the source of heated debate amongst dog trainers. While some might feel confident that such tools are necessary for a particular dog, or alternatively are an easier and faster way to achieve behavioral results in a dog, I personally feel most comfortable avoiding them. Established research of human psychology has documented shock therapy as ineffective, and organizations like the American Society for Veterinary Animal Behaviorists (ASVAB) don’t recommend those tools.
I’ve always been most comfortable assessing the individual dog and using the non-aversive equipment options that allow safest physical control AND the ability to guide their choices to encourage the behaviors that are most helpful for both them and us.
Helping Your Dog Adjust to Leash Training Gear
Any new tool and its sensations will feel strange at first, so we want to be mindful of modeling for your dog the appropriate emotional response. If you are nervous about how your dog might respond to a new experience like walking equipment, that will only add more stress to the experience. Instead focus on being their guide through the acclimation process. Keep calm and introduce new equipment in a comfortable space while letting your dog process the experience with your confident and encouraging support.
Start out bluffing if you need to, showing there is simply nothing new to worry about and that they already love the equipment (and you do too). If food or treats are of value to your dog, shower them with rewards and affection simply for being around and making contact with the equipment. Model confidence, maintain composure and if the dog shows anxiety, pause and give them time to process. Effusively reward calm moments after any displays of stress, and then work on using praise and food to lure the dog into steps without resistance.
Don’t overreact if the dog panics or pulls. Simply hold them steady and wait for them to relax. No leash “pops” or corrections are needed, and you don’t need to panic and let go of the dog either. Think of yourself like a spotter at the gym: if they trust you and are in a comfortable space then your physical support can help ground them without antagonizing the emotional reaction.
Make “equipment-wearing” a game that leads to rewards, not a fight they have to worry about. Taking the time to condition a new experience with good things pays off in the long run. Every acclimation process makes your dog more confident and trusting of you as a learning partner. The food can eventually be phased out and replaced with natural rewards, like the enjoyment of the walk.
Leash Training in Practice: A Learning Blueprint
Step One: Start Training in a Quiet Space
Begin indoors or in a quiet yard where distractions are minimal. Start with holding the leash collected up to a short length so your dog is next to you and wait for a moment of calm connection. Reward that moment of pause even if it wasn’t intentional - praise and offer a treat. Move forward only when the dog has settled and the leash stays loose. That’s the green light for forward motion!
Step Two: Reward Small Wins Along the Way
You can use food as a lure in front of the dog’s nose to lead them forward on a slack leash. A food focal point is a great way to shape the success we are looking for, and aim to feed them as often as you can reward before they “fail” - i.e. if they can take 6 steps before starting to lose focus and start pulling then you should aim to feed the treat at the 5th step.
Step Three: Gradually Add Distractions
If the dog pulls or gets distracted, immediately stop moving or turn around and walk in the opposite direction to show that tension halts progress. After a moment of calm when you stop, continue moving forward again while praising and rewarding for motion on a slack leash, as well as eye contact, connection and any effort on the dog’s part (we want to build motivation!).
Gradually add more challenging environments as skills improve and your dog is able to take more consecutive steps without pulling or getting distracted. When passing a potential distraction, always switch the dog to the side of your body opposite from the distraction.
Whether you have to stop and hold the dog steady on a shorter leash, or you’re able to keep powering past at a brisk pace, use your food lures and body blocking the view to keep the dog more focused on you rather than waiting behind the dog to see what they do (be proactive so your dog isn’t reactive). Work at the distraction level where the dog can be challenged but still mostly successful and build performance abilities over time. Urban environments with heightened stimulation may require more acclimation time, so a “walk” can simply be an afternoon at a cafe giving your dog time to take in all the sights and sounds.
Step Four: Stay Consistent With Your Cues
Whether your dog is friendly or antisocial, a helpful approach is to start training leash walks to always mean total neutrality. On these initial walks you should ignore any dogs or people you pass, so that your dog can build the habit of prioritizing focus on you. A great response for any strangers who want to approach your dog is “I’m sorry, not today, they’re in training.”
We can still make other dogs and people a good experience by praise and rewards coming from you, their constant partner, rather than risk unknown variables interacting with strange dogs and people. This also provides valuable impulse control work that will only improve off leash greetings and interactions down the road.
Decompression time and opportunities to do nothing more than sniff while they explore new environments is very beneficial. I love to use that opportunity as a great warmup and cool down of the “workout.” A little strategic planning goes a long way. Be mindful to not give too much freedom in a space that might be difficult for the dog to succeed.
Turning Walks Into a Partnership
Variety is the spice of life and I believe that’s true for both dogs and humans. Even if you have a regular walk pattern near your home, make an effort to visit different routes and pathways for more enriching experiences. A simple car ride to a different block of your neighborhood can go a long way.
The foundational work you invest in teaching your young dog to be a safe and enjoyable walking partner will unleash a world of possibilities and adventures with your dog at your side!
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