How to Train Your Dog to Walk Calmly on a Leash

Building a strong relationship with your dog means enjoying daily walks together. However, many dogs tend to walk ahead, leading to discomfort and fatigue for you, and potentially posing risks if the dog is particularly large or strong. Don't be discouraged if your adult dog has developed this bad habit. It's never too late to teach your dog to walk calmly on a leash. What you need is time, patience, and an understanding of the actions that will help your dog learn to follow your commands.

Choose the Right Leash. If you're new to training your dog to walk on a leash, it's best to use a specialized training leash that is short enough to keep your dog close. This type of leash helps your dog focus on the training process and makes it easier for you to correct unwanted behavior quickly and effectively.

Avoid Using Punishment-Based Training Methods. Limit the use of painful training collars such as shock collars, spiked collars, or disciplinary chains when retraining your dog. While disciplinary chains and pronged collars may appear effective because they cause pain when the dog pulls, they should be used sparingly. Overuse can cause physical pain, as they rely on fear rather than promoting positive learning for your dog.

Reduce Your Dog's Excitement When Wearing the Leash. Your dog becomes excited as soon as it sees the leash, knowing it’s time for a walk. This excitement often leads to pulling on the leash during the walk. If your dog remains calm when you prepare the leash, you're almost there in retraining them.

Understand Why Your Dog Pulls on the Leash. Most dogs pull because they are eager to explore their surroundings, especially in busy places like parks. Dogs will repeat behaviors when they are rewarded for them. In this case, pulling on the leash to run ahead works as a reward because they learn that doing so gets them to their destination faster.

Stop the Excitement When Going for a Walk. Once your dog is calm while wearing the leash, take them outside. This is like restarting everything that excites your dog, as it is the moment they actually get to go on a walk. To reverse this behavior, take your time with the process. Take the dog outside, close the door, stop, then return inside.

Teach Your Dog to Stop Pulling the Leash to Run Ahead. The most effective method is to invest plenty of time and prepare mentally for the fact that things might not go exactly as planned. Put the leash on your dog and slowly guide them out of the house. As soon as they start pulling, stop and stand still. Hold the leash firmly but avoid pulling the dog back toward you.

Reinforce Positive Behaviors. When your dog looks back at you, encourage them by saying, "Good job!" and then continue walking. Repeat this 3 to 4 times and reward them with a treat.

Use a Substitute Method if You're Not Successful. When your dog pulls you forward, stop and guide them in the opposite direction. If they continue to charge ahead, stop again and switch direction. The message you’re conveying is that pulling will not get them ahead, and this will reduce their motivation to pull.

Dedicate Time to Training. Changing your dog's behavior will take considerable time. Consistent training every day is essential, but don't expect them to change within a week. More time is needed for your dog to understand and follow your instructions.

• Leash
• Dog treats for rewards