Loose Lead Walking

Practical one-to-one help for dogs that pull, surge ahead, become difficult at the start of walks or struggle to stay connected to the handler.

Why dogs pull

• The dog has learned that pulling gets it where it wants to go
• The environment is more rewarding than the handler
• The dog leaves the house already over-aroused
• Equipment is making handling harder
• Pulling increases around dogs, people or specific places
• The dog has never been taught a clear leash system

First meeting: assess before drilling exercises

Before deciding on a technique, I look at how the dog moves, where the pulling is strongest, whether it is general or trigger-specific, and how the current collar, harness or head collar fits and functions. Different tools can change handling, but no piece of equipment replaces training.

What we practise

We build a simple system the dog can understand: where the useful walking position is, how leash pressure is handled, how movement and reward are used, and what happens when the dog forges ahead. The goal is not a competition heel. It is a practical walk where the lead remains manageable and the dog can still sniff and enjoy the environment.

Pulling or reactivity? The difference matters

Not every dog that pulls on the lead has the same problem. Some dogs create constant leash pressure because pulling has become a habit, they have never been taught a clear walking system, or the environment is simply more rewarding than staying connected to the handler. That is primarily a loose-lead walking problem.

Reactivity is different. A dog may walk reasonably well for much of the walk and then suddenly pull, lunge, bark or become difficult to control when another dog, person or other trigger appears. In that situation, the pulling is a symptom of the dog’s reaction to the trigger rather than the main training problem.

This distinction matters because the training plan is different. Practising loose-lead technique alone will not resolve pulling that is driven by fear, frustration or high arousal around triggers.