Loose Leash Walking- Part 3

What about in the real world?

Your dog knows how to walk for a few steps on a loose leash, and things are rosy and grand most of the time. But what about those pesky squirrels? Or maybe it’s just one of those days and your dog seems to have forgotten everything you ever taught her–what then? Here are a few tactics you can employ.

• Be a tree- When the leash tightens, all fun stops. Put on the brakes when your dog pulls on the leash and wait for them to acknowledge you (“Hey, you stopped! What’s the deal?”). As soon as they look at you, click! the dog for looking at you and lure them back into position to receive their treat before continuing.

Pulling makes the fun stop, paying attention to the person holding the leash and staying in the loose leash zone makes the fun happen again. Which do you think the dog will choose?

• Penalty yards, AKA “Go back and try it again, young lady”- If being a tree isn’t enough to remind your dog how you want them to conduct themselves, try making it easier for them by giving them more distance. If your dog pulls forward, you can give your “about” cue and turn with them 180° in the opposite direction. Click! and treat them frequently for loose leash walking in the opposite direction. When you think you’ve gotten the dog’s attention back on you and gained some distance from the distraction, do another “about” and try it again. You may need to keep your clicks and treats coming at a rapid-fire pace while you approach and pass whatever it is that is so exciting.

We are teaching the dog that pulling makes the thing they want to approach go away, the only way to get to it is to walk on a loose leash. We make it easier for the dog to make the right choice by taking them further away from the distraction and giving them another chance to practice the behavior we want.

• U-turn- If being a tree, taking penalty yards, and giving your dog the chance to go back and try it again isn’t cutting it, make a u-turn and get outta Dodge! There’s no sense in turning your walk into a stressful experience or a battle. When you’ve stumbled upon the mother of all distractions, just do an “about” and go the other way, clicking and treating rapidly for any brief instant of loose leash walking.

Why is this happening to me?

Whenever we encounter a training stumbling block, our automatic response should always be to ask, “Why?” Why is the dog having such a hard time keeping a loose leash right now? Am I missing something? Is he stressed out by the yelling across the street? Is he excited about the smelly phone pole up ahead? Am I expecting too much from him? When you have an idea about what is challenging your dog, you can change your strategy to set him up for success.

If there are distractions holding you back (also known as “competing motivators”), back off to a reasonable distance and try to get your dog’s attention. Lure them with a treat if you need to, but once you’ve got it, click!and treat for any split-second of eye contact or attention that they give to you. Eventually, your dog will catch on that staring at you pays off way more than whatever’s going on across the street. Once you’ve got your dog checked in with you again, you can be on your way.

If your dog is simply not succeeding, you might be asking for too much too soon. Go back to square one and practice in a less-distracting environment. Make sure that the walk is not the first or only exercise your dog is getting that day. Increase the number of clicks and treats you give in a minute. Trade your treat in for something more delicious and attention-grabbing (pull out your nuclear option). Give your dog more sniff breaks–some beginners will need a sniff break every couple of yards.

Walk through this world with me­­

Teaching your dog to walk on a loose leash can seem like a formidable task to undertake, and you may very well spend a very long time working on it. But it’s something that you and your dog will be working on together, and something that you both will be able to enjoy for years to come.