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Taking your dog for a walk can be one of the many pleasures of having a four-legged friend. However, when your dog is not leash trained and pulls on the leash thus creating a power struggle during your walks, this pleasant time can turn into something not so pleasant. Not to worry, there are ways you can actually train your dog to be a good leash-walker.

If your dog constantly pulls on the leash, the first thing you need to do is remind yourself that it takes two to pull. In other words, you are pulling just as much as your dog is pulling! You must change the way you think about the leash. A dog’s leash can be compared to the seat belt in a car. A seat belt is a safety device, just as a leash is used to keep your pet safe. You do not drive your car with the seat belt, and you should not attempt to “drive” your dog with the dog leash.

The next thing you need to remember is to never reward bad behavior. Leash pulling should not be rewarded by continuing your walk. As soon as your dog begins to put tension on the leash, you should stop moving immediately. Your dog is pulling on the leash because he wants to get somewhere quickly, and if you continue to allow forward movement, you are simply rewarding his pulling behavior. Stopping this bad habit might be a very frustrating task in the beginning because you will feel like you are doing more standing than walking, but your dog will quickly learn that putting tension on the leash does not get him anywhere. The simple negative reinforcement of stopping when your dog puts tension on the leash will reinforce that pulling is wrong and will make you stop.

Inevitably when your dog pulls on the leash and you stop, your dog will turn and look at you to see what has happened. At this point, you should praise your dog for this attention and encourage your dog to return to a position that is next to you. In order to get your dog to return to you, you may even need to take a few steps backward so he or she will follow. Once the dog is in the correct position next to your leg, offer a reward such as small training treat and praise. If your dog returns to putting tension on the leash, stop again immediately and repeat the process. With most training exercises, this may be a frustrating repetition of steps when you are first attempting to break this habit, but your dog will quickly learn that pulling the leash does not equal movement; while walking in the correct position garners him praise and positive attention.

While you are trying to break the leash pulling habit do not expect you or your pet to get much exercise. Try to keep the frustration in check by not expecting to get very far while you are working on the leash training exercises. Remember that consistency is key, so you must be resolute in breaking your dog’s leash pulling habit. Do not give up or give in and allow your dog to pull or you will undo the hard work you have done in attempt to break the leash pulling habit.