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Loose Leash Walking

What is Loose Leash Walking?

 

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A graphic that demonstrates the definition of loose leash

Loose leash walking is walking your dog with a leash that has a bend between your hand and the connection point because your dog isn't pulling.

How does it help?

  • This type of walking allows your dog freedom to move around as long as the leash isn't tight

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  • A tight leash communicates tension and stress (something we don't want on walks). Sometimes, a tight leash can fuel a dog who barks and lunges

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  • A loose leash gives your dog a sense of freedom which can be used for sniffing - sniffing is one of the key things that makes your dog tired on walks! Sniffing for dogs is like reading a challenging book for us

What about Heeling?

  • Heeling is a different behavior than loose leash walking. We can teach this too, but most people are happy with a dog that walks nearby and doesn't pull

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  • We like to teach three types of leash skills: loose leash walking, a casual heel ("with me"), and a more formal heel (if you'd like this)​

How to Teach Loose Leash Walking

Before You Get Started

  1. Use the right gear

    • Use a harness, martingale or flat collar for walking​

    • Use a 6 foot or 8.5 foot leash (or longer if we have discussed how to handle)

    • Don't use a retractable leash (they work by keeping constant tension, so your dog won't be able differentiate between loose or tight with this set up

  2. Grab some great, small, smelly treats and a treat pouch​

  3. Teach your dog the touch cue

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Step 1 Build the Behavior

Prerequisites: touch

Equipment: none

Reinforcers: treats

Location: inside home

  • ​Start by practicing inside your house in a place and at a time when there aren't too many distractions

  • Use the touch cue to bring your dog towards you

  • Practice touch a few times

  • Next, use your left hand and put it in position by your left leg, hand facing backwards - when your dog touches, mark and treat

  • Take one step forward, keeping your touch hand in the same position - mark and treat

  • Take two steps and repeat the touch/mark/treat

  • Practice until your dog has touched for five consecutive times

  • Next, add in another step, but this time say, "let's go," then walk forward allowing your dog to touch your treat hand. Take three steps then mark and treat.  After you have five in a row of touches at three steps, move on.  Remember, when you stop to treat, say "let's go" before you move forward again.

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​The steps above are great for a quick session. Try this a few times before you move to the next step.

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Step 2 Adding Gear

Prerequisites: Touch & Step 1

Equipment: collar or harness and leash

Reinforcers: treats

Location: inside home

​​To start, put your collar and harness on your dog and let him drag the leash around for about five minutes. Then, repeat all of Step 1 WITHOUT holding the leash

  • Then, repeat all of Step 1 holding the leash

  • Increase the steps to 5, and bring your "touch" hand to neutral position. Once you have reached five steps, put it down to prompt a touch which you can mark and treat. Repeat until your dog has 5 touches in a row correct

  • Randomize the steps from 1 through 5 (the number of steps required before treats) - keep your touch hand in neutral, up by your waist until you drop it for a touch prompt at the target steps

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Step 3 The Backyard

Prerequisites: Touch & Step 1,2

Equipment: none

Reinforcers: treats

Location: in backyard if you have one (skip to step 4 if you don't have a backyard)

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  • Repeat Steps 1 and 2 in the backyard

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Step 4 In Front of Home

Prerequisites: Touch & Step 1,2,3

Equipment: none

Reinforcers: treats

Location: in backyard if you have one (skip to step 4 if you don't have a backyard)

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  • Repeat Step 2 near the front door of your home. Choose a time when there are not many distractions (like people, dogs, bikers, cars, etc.)

  • Start building up the steps required to earn the treats - alternate between easy, medium and hard (like 3, 10, 7)

  • You may not have to use the touch prompt at this point, if your dog is already walking nicely by your side, you can provide a treat to the mouth in the top of your left thigh location

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Practice Stage 1 until your dog is reliably walking on a loose leash in the front and back yards and near your home. 

Stage 1

Stage 1     Stage 2

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  1. Now that your dog is walking successfully near you, let's change up the reinforcers a little. Continue to keep treats handy in case you need to prompt a "touch" or "with me" (if we've taught that) or you just want to give a surprise reinforcer for being close to you.

  2. In Stage 2, moving forward is the primary reward

    • When walking and you reach a tight leash leash, say "too much," and stop walking.  When s/he does anything that causes the leash to have a bend in it, say "yes!" then start walking again. In the beginning, this could be a very small movement, possibly even a look back to you that creates the smallest of bends

    • If you need to prompt to come closer a few times in the beginning so that s/he understands - make a kissy noise, then say "yes!" and move forward as soon as the leash bends

  3. Making and using turns and some new cues

    1. It's time to use turns strategically. This is another option that teaches your dog that staying near you on a loose leash means movement. Turns help keep movement in the walk if your dog seemingly forgets the rules

    2. New cues - Let's Go and This Way

      1. This Way is a directional cue that means to the dog "come with me I am changing directions" -  you won't need to teach this ​cue directly, just say it when your dog is still on a loose leash but you are changing directions like making a 90 degree or 180 degree turn or avoiding a tree, car or mailbox. The reinforcer is movement, but you can drop a hand in touch position near your left outer thigh as a prompt to come in close and reinforce the touch with a treat.

      2. Let's Go is another cue to use now. It means when you're dog has stopped, you are going to move. 

  4. With practice, your dog will understand the rules of walks - be patient. If you are reforming a puller, the new way of walking is challenging an ingrained pattern of pulling. It takes some time to overwrite these behaviors.

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Helpful Hints For Stage 2

  1. Follow the Rules Every Time

    • This will work only if you do this every time, especially in the beginning.

  2. Expect to Feel Crazy​

    • This takes several repetitions to work. You may feel frustrated in the beginning and feel like you are stopping often. Persevere. Your dog will soon learn that moving forward = loose leash​. Don't forget that if you are reforming a puller that it takes time to overwrite the pulling behavior your dog is so used to.

  3. Expect it to Feel Like It's Not Working​

    • This is normal. Persevere​​

  4. Add the Reinforcement Zone to speed things up (see graphic below)​. When your pup is in the reinforcement zone say "get it!" then drop a treat on the ground next to your left foot and keep walking OR prompt a touch at your left leg with your hand facing behind you then treat. This will teach your dog that good things happen in the reinforcement zone and increase the probability of your dog being in the zone. Begin with a big reinforcement zone, then use time to gradually shrink the zone as in the image below.

A graphic about loose leash walking

All of the Words

Can you believe how much you've learned?
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Get it: You drop a treat right by your left foot (used in reinforcement zone training). The treat is the reinforcer.

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Find it: You throw a treat away from you and you dog should go find it (used for creating movement in training and having fun!). The treat is the reinforcer.

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Toss: You throw a treat a few feet in front of your dog in a straight line that prompts moving forward in a straight line. Reinforced by the treat and movement.

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Let’s Go: A directional cue that tells your dog to start moving in whatever direction you are going. Reinforced by movement.

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This Way: A directional cue that signals your dog to change directions in the way that you are moving. Reinforced by movement.

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With Me: A cue that tells your dog to move in to the casual heel position by your left thigh. Reinforced by touching your hand with the nose and treat.

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Too Much: A cue that tells your dog that he has pulled too much and that the leash is tight. This cue removes movement because you have stopped. We are removing what the dog wants (moving forward) because the leash is tight. When you or the dog creates space either by the dog creating a bend or you cue a turn or a let’s go, you move forward.

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Touch: A multipurpose cue that asks your dog to bump your hand with the nose.

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