Loose lead walking in five steps

Pulling on the lead is learned, so it can be unlearned. Keep every session short, kind and consistent.

1. 01

   Start indoors. Practise in a quiet hallway or backyard first, where there is little to distract your dog.

2. 02

   Reward beside you. Every time your dog walks next to your leg on a loose lead, mark it with a word like yes and give a small treat at your side.

3. 03

   Stop when the lead pulls. The moment the lead goes tight, stand still. Move again only when it softens, so pulling never gets your dog anywhere.

4. 04

   Change direction. If your dog surges ahead, turn and walk the other way, and reward them for catching up. They soon learn to keep an eye on you.

5. 05

   Short sessions. Ten minutes of good practice beats an hour of frustration, so finish while it is going well.

Once it works at home, try a quiet street, then a busier one, and expect less each time the world gets more interesting.