Leash training a dog, is effectively achieved by teaching him one simple fact-
Instead, walking properly next to us, is the quickest way to get to his destination.
To teach this lesson, it is important NOT to reward our dog for pulling.
Do not let our dog drag us along, and do not pet or give him any affection while he is pulling. Teach him to walk on a loose leash first, before attempting to walk him close to us in a heel position.
Here are some leash training techniques:
1. Red-Light, Green-Light
A simple way to leash train a dog and teach him not to pull, is to …
- Stop walking when the leash is taut, and
- Start moving again when the leash is loose.
We do not even need to say anything to our dog. Through our actions, he will figure out the rules of the game.
When we stop, some dogs may decide to roam around and smell whatever is available in the environment. To stop this, I usually shorten the leash and bring my dog in next to me. This does a better job at limiting his freedom, which makes this technique more effective.
In addition, I only start moving again after my dog does a Sit next to me. I use a shorter lead in the beginning, then slowly lengthen it if my dog walks nicely, and without pulling. By changing the length of the lead, we can control the amount of freedom our dog has, and further motivate him not to pull.
Initially, we may need to stop very frequently, so be ready for really short walks. However, it is important to be patient and absolutely consistent with the stop rule. Otherwise, our dog will learn that if he pulls enough times, we will give-in and let him go wherever he wants. This encourages him to pull more in the future.
2. 180 Degree Turn
Depending on the age and temperament of our dog, frequent hard stops may cause him to get frustrated. Too much pent-up frustration can make a dog act out in other ways, for example, he may resort to leash biting.
If we are training an easily frustrated or excitable dog, it may be more effective to use the 180-turn technique.
As soon as our dog starts to pull, quickly turn around and start walking in the opposite direction. In this way, the dog can release his pent-up energy, because he is still doing something physical – walking. At the same time, he learns that when he pulls, he just gets farther away from his desired destination.
If our dog walks properly on a loose leash for a few seconds, we can mark him for his good behavior (Good), turn back, and resume our walk. If he starts pulling again, it is fine to walk back and forth on the same stretch of ground until he learns not to pull.
3. Hand Targeting
Start by training the dog to target our hand at home.
First, I put some dog treats in my hand, and make sure my dog knows that it is there. Then, I put my hand close to his muzzle and say Nose. As soon as my dog touches my hand with his nose, I mark him (Yes) and treat him. I repeat this exercise until I am confident that he has learned the command.
Next, I move a few steps away, put my hand out in the same gesture, and say Nose. When he moves toward me and touches my hand, I mark the behavior (Yes) and treat. I keep repeating this inside the house, then continue the exercise in the backyard.
Once we are comfortable doing this in the backyard, we can try using this technique outside.
If the dog pulls, non-mark him (Uh-oh), get him to do a Sit, re-target him on our hand, and continue the leash training session.
In this way, our dog learns that pulling is inappropriate, and walking close to us will get him affection and treats. We can treat less often, and slowly phase out the treats altogether, once our dog learns to walk calmly by our side.
4. Collar Correction/ Leash Correction/ Leash Jerk
The most common aversive technique for leash training a dog, is to perform collar corrections (also called leash corrections or leash jerks).
A collar correction must be a quick jerk of the leash. There is only tension for an extremely short amount of time (a quarter-second or less), and then the leash should be loose again. Most people tend to do tugs rather than jerks, which will do little in training the dog.
Tugs may actually exacerbate the situation, because it places continuous tension on the leash. This tension may cause the dog to get tense and frustrated.
We must also be properly positioned for the collar correction, so that the force is always to the side rather than directly back. Jerking to the back may encourage the dog to lunge forward to oppose the force, thus causing him to pull even more.
To work well in leash training, collar corrections must be executed with the proper force, proper timing, and proper redirection. This is necessary so that the dog learns that pulling is wrong, without becoming afraid of his surroundings, or distrustful of his owner.
If not properly implemented, a collar correction may backfire and cause additional behavioral problems including dog aggression.
Only use collar corrections as a last resort. Only use collar corrections under the direction of an experienced professional trainer.
How to Stop Dog Pulling
Some dogs and some dog breeds will pull more than others. For example, I have two Siberian Huskies, and they both pull more than my Shiba Inu, because Huskies are bred to pull. However, by starting training early and being very consistent, even Huskies can be trained to walk at a measured pace by our side.
In the beginning, I leash train my dog in the backyard, where there are very few distractions. Once my dog is comfortable walking there without pulling, I move on to more quiet areas of the neighborhood. Another alternative is to walk during off-peak hours, where there are fewer people and dogs around.
By carefully choosing our training environments, we can set our dog up for success, and help build his confidence. Once he is comfortable walking in a given area, we can slowly increase the level of distraction.
Before we know it, we will be enjoying a wonderful neighborhood walk with our dog! 😀
Hello! Thank you so much for this website, i have found it useful and very informative! I have recently adopted a 5 month old shiba girl, Sasha, she is a joy and a very smart dog but true to her nature, stubborn, independent and sneaky.
One problem I have had while walking her is that she will find something that interests her, (ususally a bug, acorn etc) and lay down and want to work on it. I have been working on a “leave it” command but sometimes she gets to intrigued that she ignores. I dont like having to drag or pull her, and i feel this riles her up, she has been nipping at her leash lately which is new for her to do. And i feel she is defeating me if i just pick her up and move her to another spot. (holding her instatly calms her, she doesnt struggle or wiggle, she is calm and focused until i put her back down).
thanks so much for any help!
Sephy is like that as well! He is actually still this way. In fact, sometimes he will just lie down during a walk because he wants to look at people or passing cars. Then he won’t want to get up. He is very practiced at not moving. 😀
I think that your instincts of not picking Sasha up is a good one. I used to pick Sephy up a lot when he was a puppy to move him away from things, or to try to get him to stop misbehaving. Nowadays, he does not like being picked up because I think he associates being picked up with losing his freedom and losing his resources. I think you are very right to make holding your Shiba be a positive and happy experience. That way, Sasha will enjoy being picked up.
Some things I have tried with getting Sephy to move along –
1. Sound aversion – I scrape my shoes on the sidewalk which creates a scratchy sound that Sephy really does not like. This usually startles him and makes him get up.
2. No lying down – Nowadays I don’t let him lie down unless I am prepared to stay in that position for a while. He can sit, but he only gets to lie down on rare occasions. I just use the leash to prevent him from lying down. I shorten the leash and hold it there so there is not enough slack for him to lie down. With Sephy, an ounce of prevention is really worth much more than a pound of cure. 😀
Yeah this was the most challenging issue I faced with Sephy. He would get frustrated whenever I stopped him from doing something during walks and start redirecting his frustration onto the leash. Later on, he would even redirect his frustration on me.
I tried many many strategies before finally finding something that worked for Sephy. I held the leash close to his collar (so that I had better control) and walked him quickly home. This ends the walk, which is a real negative for Sephy because he really enjoys his walks. In addition, it redirects his energy into walking quickly so he is not focused on biting the leash.
Once I found a strategy that worked, Sephy totally stopped doing it. That’s the thing with a Shiba – if they find a strategy that works they will keep using it until it stops working. Then they will come up with something else. 😀
Here is an article on my leash biting experience with Sephy –
http://shibashake.com/dog/train-your-dog-to-stop-biting-on-the-leash
Big hugs to Sasha!
Hello,
I am currently in a very drastic situation because I have two 7 month old Siberian Huskies which just keeps pulling and pulling on the leash. My family and I always take them out together for walks however, it can never last long because both of them just loves to walk first (as in like being in the lead).
I have tried walking them individually, and the pulling problem has decreased however they are constantly still pulling with all their might. I want to ask if it is their true nature for Siberian Huskies wanting to be the pack leader and guide the rest first or is it just simply because they need leash training methods?
Can you please give me some advice because it makes me go crazy. Thank You
I think Sibes have a higher tendency to pull because it is bred into them to pull carts, people, and goods. It is not a dominance thing though – because when Huskies are pulling a cart, it is the driver that is directing his pack of dogs even though the pack is in front and pulling.
Even though it may be a bit more challenging, Sibes can be trained to walk properly on a leash.
My Sibe still pulls sometimes (especially when she spots prey) but she is much better now than she was before. The technique that seems to work best for her is the start-stop technique combined with the 180 degree turn around. At the beginning, it got a bit frustrating because I would walk one step and have to turn around. Then, walk another step and turn around 🙂 But after being consistent and patient, it worked well for us.
Sometimes, I will just get her to come back to me and wait patiently for a while before moving on.
This way, the dog learns that
Pulling = does not get to go in the desired direction but
Not-pulling = gets to go where he wants to go, albeit at a slower pace.
When I do the turn around, I do not pull directly back but try to navigate her to the side and then back – in an arc. Pulling directly back will make dogs want to naturally oppose the force and as a result make them pull even harder.
I first leash train my dogs one at a time. I only start to walk them together after they are good with one-on-one walks.
Hi I don’t know if youve ever had this problem but my shiba inu’s leashes keep coming off. I think its because he shakes all the time, but i’ve tried plenty of leashes. He’ll be shaking and i notice his leash on the floor and he just goes running. Its happened 4 times already and thank god ive always been able to catch him w/o anything bad happening. any advice?
My Shiba has only shaken off his drag lead a couple of times when he is in the house. I have had some collar escapes though while walking him outside.
Earlier on I tried a variety of nylon and cotton leashes, but I finally settled on a leather leash which I really like. I have two leather leashes now – one for each of my dogs. I like them because their clasp is more secure, and they are easy on the hands.
I also really like the Premier no-slip collar – which is great at preventing my Shiba from pulling and escaping out of his collar.
Can I vote “Choose to Heel” on the leash training poll? I’ve successfully taught many clients and their dogs the heel by teaching the dog it’s infinitely more rewarding to be in the heel position than to be anywhere else. No corrections, just super-duper rewards for being in the heel position (for mouthy dogs, I use a spoon with some kind of soft food on it, or a carrot stick to avoid raw hands!).
Hello Keth,
Reward training is a great way to motivate dogs to stay close during walks.
The spoon is also a great idea to avoid raw hands and teach bite inhibition.
Two paws up and a carrot stick! 🙂
I could not agree more with the chokers. The chokers really have been ineffective for me with my experience with training and walking dogs. I also always use a harness with my mini schnauzers because they tend to think they are indestructible!
As stated above, a combination of focus training, command training along with long walks on a leash are by far the best solution.
Hi Laurie, Thanks for dropping by. It is good to hear from someone with so much experience in walking dogs.
lol – that is very good advice. A harness is especially appropriate for smaller dogs that pull a lot. I must add this into my article. Thanks!
Yes, I do walk a bunch of dogs.. 😉
I use them for my crew, and I also keep a few sizes handy just in case I meet up with dogs that pull. It does amaze me how some owners end up choking the dogs and causing stress during what should be a relaxing event!
another good article, i need to work with both of my dogs on the leash. They are good dogs and well behaved but i just never use a leash much. own 83 acres so i have a lot of room for my dogs to run and exercise on my property, but that’s no excuse not to have them properly leash trained.
83 acres?! I am green with envy, and so are my dogs 🙂 That’s like being in an off-leash park every day. I would just train their recalls and do off-leash walking with them for fun and bonding.
What a nice setup. Did I say I was green with envy? 🙂
Yeah the dogs love to run through the fields and back in the woods. They are inside dogs but they get plenty of time to run and play outside. The main reason i need/want to leash train them better is because from time to time i like to take them into town with me. My dogs are so sweet and goofy, both are about 50 lbs and they think they are lap dogs. 😛
i have a 4 months old pitbull and i used the i80 turn for like an hour and it never worked.i used a prong collar it worked but i felt sorry for my dog feeling pain so i stopped .i tried nose still didnt work.i havent tried green light red light but ill write bak if i do lata at 3 PEACE OUT
Maxina, you bring up a very good point. Aversive techniques like leash jerks with a prong, usually brings more immediate results. However, they have their own set of issues.
Reward techniques like the 180 turn, red light/green light, and hand targeting, usually takes more time, over more sessions; but may be more effective over the long term. Rather than doing an hour session, it may work better to do shorter, but more frequent sessions. Ultimately, the technique that works best for you will depend on your temperament, your dog’s temperament, and the type of relationship you want to have.
You really have the heart for dogs. I am saving this article for guidance later on.
thats cool
My dog is an angel about everything except she sometimes wants to pull. It is strange because if I take her outside and she gets off the leash or gets outside without one she stays perfectly with us. The issue only seems to be when we are going somewhere. But, it isn’t even all of the time. I have tried going in different directions and rewarding for being next to me. But, it doesn’t seem to matter. She seems to like the idea of being first even if she doesn’t know where we are going. Normally I also have a carriage and two young boys with me. I tried keeping her behind me, but then the kids will ask to hold her and sometimes they will want to run. I have a leash that can also be a choke collar. When I use that she is more than happy to keep pulling ahead and coughing. My vet had suggested the Halti. Maybe I should give it shot. Thanks for the useful Hub.
Hi Jim. Your girl really sounds like an angel. After hearing all your stories about her, I really want to meet her. Do you have pictures of her that you can share?
In terms of pulling, I have found that consistency is very important while leash training my dogs, especially during the initial training phase. This will be difficult to do with the carriage and two boys. Consider doing shorter, one-on-one, walk training sessions with her, using the flat collar/harness; and then use the head halti when going on longer walks with the boys.