Teach your traveling dog to stop pulling on the leash

Traveling with a dog that always pulls on its leash can take the fun out of any trip! Teach your dog to walk well before hitting the road together.

Traveling with a dog can be a lot of fun. But no one likes a traveling companion who drags them all over creation. Walking a dog while he is pulling on a leash is difficult and tiring, not to mention frustrating for you and your pup!

In this article, we’ll cover some tips for teaching your dog to stop pulling on the leash. With a little patience and practice, you’ll have a well-behaved pup that’s a joy to walk.

Teach your dog to stop pulling on the leash

Step 1 – Take Baby Steps

People often don’t set their dogs up for success when they teach them how to walk well on a leash. They go from never having their pup on a leash to walking outside with all sorts of distractions. And they expect the poor dog to pay attention and know what to do!

Loose leash walking requires training, just like any other behavior you want to teach your dog. Starting out in a low-distraction environment will make it much easier for you to teach him how you want him to behave.

The weakest distraction environment available to you is inside your home. It doesn’t matter if your dog is a small puppy, an independent teenager, or an old dog who needs some new tricks, you can teach him how to walk well by starting indoors.

When you start training your dog to walk well on a leash, don’t expect what he learns on the inside to translate to the outside. You’ll need to develop his skills before he realizes that it’s best not to pull on the leash in all environments.

Step 2 – Use gear that helps, not gear that hurts

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The best piece of equipment to teach your dog to stop pulling on the leash is a harness that attaches to the chest. When your dog’s leash is attached to his chest, it gives you much more control. Add a martingale loop, which tightens around your dog’s body as he pulls, and it’s even better. Now your gear is a teaching assistant – giving your dog “pressure” when he pulls and releasing pressure when he doesn’t.

For years the GoPetFriendly team has used martingale harness from 2 Hounds Design. They have helped make traveling with Buster, Ty and now Myles more enjoyable.

Choose a leash which is 4 to 6 feet long and fits comfortably in your hand. Avoid retractable leashes, which get longer every time your dog pulls, rewarding him even more for pulling! If you are starting out with a dog that pulls a lot and hard, you may want a leash with traffic control handle for better control without having to wrap the leash around your hand.

Many people believe that slip, choke, claw and electric collars will make the training process faster. However, these collars rely on pain to prevent a dog from pulling. And the pain must hurt or shock your dog enough to keep him from pulling. Inflicting this kind of pain on your pet is not what you want to be and can damage the bond you have built.

Also, while these types of collars may seem to give quick results, it might not last. Over time, dogs get used to the pressure around their necks and start pulling again. Then the pain level must be increased for the dog to listen. This is a path you and your dog are best off avoiding.

Step 3 – Techniques for Teaching Loose Leash Walking

There are two main techniques you can try to teach your dog to stop pulling on the leash.

The first is to hold the treats in your closed hand and let your dog smell them as you walk. This helps hold your dog’s attention and makes him walk beside you instead of pulling in front of you. Then, every once in a while, open your hand and let him eat one of the treats as a reward for walking by your side.

This technique is especially effective if you plan to continue training your dog and want a strict “heel”.

The second technique is to stop walking when your dog pulls and wait for him to stop pulling. Once he notices that you are not moving with him and he stops or sits down, slowly turn around and start walking in the opposite direction.

At first, you probably won’t walk very far before your dog rushes up and starts pulling in the opposite direction. But over time, if you do enough of it, he’ll tire of being in the same general area and learn that if he wants to keep walking, he needs to walk more calmly.

These two techniques can help teach your dog to stop pulling on the leash. I encourage you to try both and see which works best for you and your dog.

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Step 4 – Stick to Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is key to training a dog not to pull on the leash. This means rewarding your dog for good behavior instead of punishing him for bad behavior.

Punishing a dog for pulling on a leash will only scare him and may cause him to pull even more.

On the other hand, rewarding a dog for walking calmly by your side will cause him to associate this good behavior with a reward.

Appropriate rewards depend on the dog. Treats, petting, playing with a toy, or even just verbal praise can let your pup know you’re happy with his progress. Whatever you do, make sure it’s something your dog enjoys so he’s more likely to want to repeat the behavior.

Step 5 – Prepare with “High Value” Treats

Many people think that any type of treat will do when it comes to training their dog. But it’s not always the case ! Especially when you’re teaching your dog something as tricky as not pulling on the leash.

When it comes to get your dog’s attentionyou need high value rewards to him. It could be his favorite type of food or a special snack he doesn’t usually eat.

When you’re competing with outside distractions, the sweeter the treat smells, the better! Treats that your dog can smell from a distance help him pay attention to you and not be distracted by everything around him.

You may need to experiment with different options to find something your dog really likes. But once you find it, the highest value rewards will be obvious. Some popular high-value treats you can try with your dog are cheese, bacon, dehydrated liver or salmon, chicken, hot dogs, or his favorite squeaker toy.

Step 6 – Raise the Stakes

Once your dog has learned to walk on a loose leash around your home, you can slowly add distractions. For example, the next step could be to go out into your garden. Distractions are limited here, but there are still plenty of different sounds and smells to possibly catch their attention. You may find that as you increase the distractions, you also need to increase the value of the treats you use.

Then you might want to take your dog to an empty park in the morning or evening. Once these outings are over, you can move to the course where you take your dog for the majority of his walks.

Understand that if your dog has pulled on the leash on his walks, putting him in this environment could cause a small setback in his training. Be patient, keep your walks short, and remember to reward him more frequently at first for his good behavior! As your dog’s skills increase, you can slowly lengthen the time between rewards.

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Step 7 – Always make time to have fun

While it’s important to teach your dog not to pull, you also don’t want to turn your walks into work and not play. Your dog is more likely to stay focused if he’s having fun. When you notice him walking by your side without firing for a few minutes, be sure to let him stop and sniff the flowers (and fire hydrants) as a reward.

Final Thoughts

Teaching a dog not to pull on a leash is possible with time, patience, and plenty of high-value treats. Stick to positive reinforcement and be sure to let your dog have fun along the way. With these tips in mind, you should be well on your way to more enjoyable adventures together.

About the Author: Alec Littlejohn is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and a recognized author by the Dog Writers Association Of America.

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