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How to Stop a Dog from Pulling on Their Leash

A dog who is excited, or who is not used to walking on a leash, can have trouble knowing not to pull when you take him outside for a walk. While training a dog not to pull on his leash is a bit of a long process, with the right training it can be simple and quite effective.

Getting started

The first thing to know is that you need to let your dog know who the boss is. You do not have to be mean or hurtful, but you simply need to let him or her know that you are the leader of the pack. When you begin this process, use a sturdy leash and a standard collar. Retractable leashes are simply not recommended for most dogs, but especially not a dog that is having pulling problems.

The key to teaching your dog not to pull on the leash is to show him or her that staying at your side is the preferred behavior. You can begin teaching this by putting your dog into a sit-stay while you walk out the door, requiring the dog to wait inside until you have walked out. You should also have your dog walking on your left side at all times. If your dog strays from your left side, stop, guide him or her back to the right position and then offer praise and a treat.

Correcting behavior when walking

If your dog has not yet been trained not to pull, he or she will inevitably wander ahead of you. Even if the leash has not been pulled taut, if your dog strays ahead of you it is time to make a behavior correction. Dog training does not have to be negative in any way, but rather should focus around cues, praise and treats. When your dog walks too far ahead, simply stop walking.

Your dog should stop along with you when you pause in your walking. Guide him or her back to your left side again, and then offer praise and a treat once your dog is in the right position again. Your dog will eventually learn through praise and treats and the gentle cues that you are offering, that the correct way to walk on a leash is on your left side without straying too far ahead. It really is this simple.

Correcting general pulling behavior

If you put your dog in a sit-stay on his or her leash, and you still have problems will pulling, or if your dog gets excited and tries to pull away easily, some correction is needed. The best way to get your dog's attention is to pat it on the back or side gently, or simply to give a gentle tap. Once your dog is paying attention to you again, guide him or her back to your left side again and offer praise. If your dog is behaving in an overly excited manner, sometimes all you need to do is get his or her attention back on you to correct the behavior.

Using other training aids

Numerous training aids have been developed to make this method of training easier for dog owners. Halti and Gentle Leader products have made it simpler for some dogs to walk on a leash, but they are only a temporary solution at best. While they do correct the behavior, once the training aid is removed, the training is effectively lost and the dog will more than likely revert to old habits. It is much more effective simply to do the training one's self, rather than to rely on training aids as a permanent solution.

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