Teach Your Dog To Walk ‘With’ You

By Cynthia Edgerly, Bingo! Dog Training

(Originally written for the Press Banner, a San Lorenzo Valley Newspaper)

Many people have had their visions of taking long, leisurely walks with their best doggie friend replaced by visions of spending time in the chiropractors office for shoulder and back pain. Dogs that pull on-leash have a problem. The owner hates the walk, and hence he/she shortens it. And the dog, which simply wanted to explore the world, is cut short. That's why teaching the dog to walk nicely on a leash is one of the foundations of a good quality of life for both owner and dog.

The reason dogs pull on-leash is because they haven’t been taught to walk any other way; pulling gets them where they want to go.  When your dog pulls, every forward step you take reinforces the behavior and trains him to continue pulling.  Therefore, part of the training process is to stop rewarding your dog with forward movement for pulling. 

How to teach your dog to walk with you

Step 1: Off-Leash practice. Teaching your dog to walk with you off-leash can often result in far more success and less stress later; when on-leash practice begins.  Do this exercise in your home and enclosed areas outdoors where there are few distractions; this can be your backyard, a friends backyard, tennis court or any other enclosed area.  Remember to practice this exercise when distractions are minimal. Begin by saying “Fido, let’s go,” and start walking as you verbally encourage your dog to follow.  Praise and treat whenever your dog is walking by your side.  If he starts to move away from you bring attention to his mistake by saying “Fido, let’s go!" and accentuate his error by walking away from him in the opposite direction while clapping your hands and verbally encouraging him to catch up every step of the way.  If he veers left, you go right; if he lags behind, you speed up; if he’s leading the way, turn around and go the opposite direction.  Just make sure you aren’t making adjustments to cover up his errors or following him – this is a very common mistake so be aware!  When your dog is walking by your side again praise and treat.  Repeat – Repeat – Repeat.

Step 2: Do the same exercise as above, but indoors, on-leash.

Step 3:  Move the on-leash training to a quiet place outside, like a front or back yard; practicing for 5-10 minutes is enough to begin with.  

Step 4: Begin walking around the neighborhood.  Rather than going for a long walk, choose a short section (1/2 block or so) close to your home and retrace it until your dog can walk the section on a loose leash.  Gradually increase the distance of your walk.

What to do if the leash gets tight

1. Every time the leash gets tight, stop dead, freeze. Wait a few seconds. If the dog turns around to look at you, praise and let him come to you to get the treat, then start walking again. It is important to deliver the treat near you and not walk to the dog to deliver it.
2. If, the dog is stuck at the end of the leash without turning back to you, turn around and start walking in the other direction. The dog will follow you and you can treat when he is by your side again.
3. As long as the leash is loose, keep walking as you praise and treat often as the dog walks by your side, especially when he looks at you.
4. At the beginning you will have to praise and treat very generously, but gradually you will be able to increase the loose leash walking duration between treats.
5. Practice these steps over and over on a short stretch of path or road. When your dog masters the loose leash walk on that stretch, gradually add more distance.

Let your dog explore

One of the greatest rewards your can give your dog for walking nicely on-leash is the freedom to explore. And, puppies need more freedom to explore than adult dogs, because the world is so new.  For every 5-10 minutes of walking, provide freedom. Give the cue “Okay - free,” and allow your dog to sniff and wonder as you follow for a while.  It is now your job to keep the leash loose. When you’re ready to go just pat your leg and say “Lets go.”

What if I want to take my dog on a long walk or don’t have time to train?

I recommend purchasing equipment that will reduce pulling behavior.  The head halter (Gentle Leader or Halti) and control body harness (EZ Walk Harness or Sense-ation Harness) can be of great help in this area. 

 Training tips for success

• Feed your dog all or part of his meal while walking along; use a fanny pack and simply feed him one bite after another as long as he is in correct position.
• Play a game with your dog before going on a walk to get the ya-ya’s out. And give your dog regular walks, preferably on a daily basis. Regular walks are an antidote to the extreme excitement and loss of self-control that occur when dogs rarely get out of the house.

Cynthia Edgerly, owner of Bingo! Dog Training in Watsonville, California, is a Professional Dog Trainer & Certified Dog Behavior Consultant.   To contact Cynthia please go to her website:  http://www.bingodogtraining.com  or Phone: (831) 768-9308 or (408) 335-8745. 

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Last modified: 04/18/08