Fun with Play III: Loose-Leash Walking

It has been well-documented on this blog that I do not like to loose-leash walk. I'm always excited and forget the rules. Whenever we go to a new place, I always pull a little, and Mom has to stop and wait for me to calm down. Once when we went to a therapy test, one of the test's administrators recommended that Mom start making crazy left turns on our walks to keep me guessing, requiring me to check in more. While this would look crazy as we walked down the street, it was actually good advice. You can teach loose-leash walking through games, just as you can teach recall through games, as discussed in the previous article.

To make loose-leash walking a game, fill your pockets full of treats. Put a treat in front of your dog's nose and lure him into a loose-leash position at your side. Take a step. When your dog steps toward your hand, praise and reward. As your dog gets better, take a couple of steps, then three and four. Then, start making it really fun: take a step backward, make left turns and right turns, zig zag, take big steps then small steps, spin in circles, walk in squares, run quickly then walk slowly. Your imagination is the only limitation. Keep rewarding your dog frequently so that he stays entertained, but stop using a lure once he understands the game. Use a point or word command to advance the training.

Just a couple of tips for this. Keep the games short. Loose-leash walking is hard for us! It's not instinctual. We have to think about it. Have you ever noticed how tired your dog is after a simple walk when learning to walk on a loose leash? We're thinking about it the whole time, and thinking makes us tired. So when your playing, it won't be fun if the game goes on too long. And don't forget to release your dog from a heel position if you have used "heel" as the command word. How does your dog know when the command has ended if you don't tell him? Then, he will think he can end it when he wants and begin pulling again. So gradually increase the amount of time the game happens and give your dog a clear end.

Now, go out and take a fun walk with your dog! Love, Chubbs