Each option has its own strengths and weaknesses. To effectively leash train our dog, we want to pick the most appropriate tools based on his unique temperament, energy level, size, and style. Using inappropriate equipment may complicate training, worsen our dog’s behavior, and sometimes even cause physical harm.

After getting a new piece of equipment, I always read all the instructions carefully. Incorrect use of leash training tools, may also inadvertently hurt our dog.

Note that collars and leashes are just one aspect of leash training. Consistency, patience, and technique, are also very important to teach our dog to walk without pulling.

Leash Training Equipment.

Leash Training Equipment 1

Collar and Leash

While leash training my dog, I use a flat, thick (1 inch), Martingale or buckle collar. The thicker collar will distribute the force when our dog pulls, so he is less likely to choke himself. Unlike plastic snap-on collars, Martingale and buckle collars are strong, and less likely to slip or break when under strain.

I also use a regular 6 foot leash. I like the leather leashes best, because they are easy on my hands, and have very little give when my dog pulls. Cotton leashes easily stretches when force is applied, which gives me less control over my dog. Nylon leashes are a good alternative to leather, but they are a bit more abrasive on the hands.

Do not use a flexi-leash until we are extremely confident that our dog will walk close to us, and will not bolt at the sight of cats, squirrels, dogs, or other environmental triggers. The flexi-leash gives our dog a lot of freedom to roam, but provides us with very little control over his movements.

Flexi-leashes should only be used as a reward for a leash-trained veteran, who is not reactive to the environment, and is very responsive to voice commands.

The flexi-leash can be a useful first-step, for teaching a dog how to walk off-leash. Only do this after he has mastered how to walk on-leash, using a regular 6 foot lead.

Leash training Shiba Inu Sephy using a flat collar, and a 6 foot leather leash.

Leash Training Equipment 2

Dog Harness

If we have a smaller dog that pulls a lot, and is constantly choking himself on the collar, it may be best to use a harness, especially for long walks.

Premier has an Easy Walk harness, where the leash is attached to the front (chest area), rather than back of the dog. This harness gives us slightly better control over pulling, compared to a step-in harness. However, the Easy Walk harness is also more difficult to put on a dog.

The Ruffwear harness is more secure, and will prevent our dog from escaping during walks. It also provides good body support, which is why I used it for my 3 legged dog.

Most dogs will object to the harness initially. Therefore, make putting on the harness, be a positive experience that is paired with food and praise. Then, follow it up with an enjoyable dog walk. Remember to remove the harness at the end of the walk.

A harness may not be as appropriate for a larger dog that pulls, because it amplifies the pull force, and makes him even more difficult to control. For larger dogs, consider using a head halti.

Leash Training - Shiba Inu Sephy wearing a step-in harness.

Leash Training Equipment 3

Head Halti

Premier ECO Gentle Leader Head Dog Collar from Amazon.com.

The head halti is an effective tool to stop dogs from pulling, especially larger dogs.

It allows us to control a dog’s head, with very little force, in the same way that horses are controlled. When a dog pulls, his head is automatically directed back to us. By controlling his head, we can stop him from pulling, obsessing over squirrels and cats, as well as lunging after other dogs.

The problem with the head halti is that it does not really help with leash training our dog.

Once we take it off, our dog will likely start pulling again. I use the head collar, when I take in-training dogs for long walks at the park. In this way, I have good control over them, and do not have to worry about them pulling, or taking off to chase after squirrels.

However, I also keep up with regular, halti-free leash training sessions, during shorter neighborhood walks.

Another weakness of the head collar is that it has straps across the dog’s face and muzzle. Since these areas are more sensitive to touch, the friction and force caused by the collar may generate a fair amount of discomfort for the dog. Initially, most dogs will dislike wearing the head halti, and some may refuse to walk when they have it on. By pairing it with positive rewards and experiences, we can train some dogs to get accustomed to wearing it.

Do not use the head collar with a flexi-leash. The high force jerk that occurs when a dog hits the end of a flexi, may cause significant harm to the dog. For safe use, make sure to read the instructions very carefully, and fit the collar properly on our dog’s head.

Leash Training Equipment 4

Prong Collar and Choke Chain

Prong collars and choke collars (also called choke chains, slip collars, or slip chains) are used to implement stronger leash corrections.

Only use a prong collar as a last resort, and under proper supervision by a professional trainer.

Choke chains apply a more extreme pain stimulus to the dog than even prong collars, and may cause injury even when fitted properly. For these reasons, I do not use choke chains on any of my dogs.

Here is another article by Paddy Driscoll on the dangers of using choke collars.

Note – Because of the risks associated with choke chains, they are often given other fancy names, for example the Illusion collar. Be careful to do research on the collars we use, to make sure that they are not a renamed version of choke collars.

Because of the high risks involved, I do not use choke collars or shock collars on any of my dogs.

Leash Training Equipment 5

Shock Collar or Electronic Collar

Shock collars or electronic collars are often used to train working dogs that must herd livestock, or perform other tasks from a distance, and with great accuracy. They can be easily be misused, and are unnecessary for house dogs.

Do not use a shock collar unless we have good prior experience in training dogs, and only use it under the direction of a professional trainer, for very specialized work tasks.

Shock collars are risky and generally not recommended for modifying or stopping bad dog behaviors. Scientific studies show that these collars increase stress, lower general quality of life, may worsen our dog’s behavior, and may even encourage extreme aggression.

Dog Leash Training Equipment

Training equipment including choke chains, prong collars, Martingale collars, the head halti, and harnesses, should only be used during supervised training sessions. I use them during walks, and remove them as soon as I get home. Training collars and leashes can easily catch on furniture, or other objects around the house, and cause our dog physical harm and emotional distress.

The only collar I leave on my dog for the long term, is a properly fitted flat collar. When I leave a flat collar on a puppy, I make sure to readjust it regularly to accommodate the puppy’s rapid growth rate. Some flat collars may also slip with use, and become loose. Thus, they may need regular adjustment even for adult dogs.

Leash Training - Shiba Inu Sephy taking a break during a fun leash training session.

Pulling will get him nowhere.

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.

Leash Training Your Dog.

Here are some leash training techniques:

1. Red-Light, Green-Light

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.

Shiba Inu Sephy turning around to wait for me.

3. Hand Targeting

Hand Targeting - Put our hand close to her muzzle and say 'Nose'.

Hand Targeting - As soon as Shania touches my hand with her nose, I mark her (Yes) and treat her.

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.

If our dog pulls, non-mark him (Uh-oh), get him to do a Sit, re-target him on our hand, and continue the training session.

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.

4. Collar corrections did not work well for Shiba Inu Sephy. Collar corrections ultimately caused aggression, motivation, and trust issues.

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! 😀