Teaching leash manners can be one of the most challenging tasks dog guardians face.
Unless your dog never leaves your home or yard, there’s a good chance they will have to wear a leash at some point in their life. Teaching leash manners can be a very frustrating time during your and your dog’s relationship.
The sole purpose of a leash is to maintain a level of control for safety purposes. Leashes are not meant to communicate expectations to your dog. When a parent holds a child’s hand, they still communicate verbally to teach their child the expectation in that situation. You should focus on teaching your dog words to direct his behavior to keep him safe, regardless of if a leash is attached or not.
Walking words are essential if you want to be successful at loose leash walking or off-leash control. The behaviors you teach are personal to your lifestyle and your expectations.
Before I use walking words/cues, I think of specific behaviors I would like for my dog to exhibit when requested. Before deciding which words you will use, make a list of the behaviors you want to see your dog display:
- Moving with me after being stationary.
- Walking within eyesight of me.
- Walking right next to me.
- Moving in my direction.
- Stopping and waiting for further instruction.
- Coming to me and making physical contact.
- Release to continue behavior.
- You may freely enjoy your surroundings and not worry about me.
Once I establish the behaviors I want to see my dog display, I can then put words with those behaviors. You can get as creative as you want but use words that you can recall easily and can be used consistently with all members of the family. Here are some examples I use:
- Let’s Go: moving with me after being stationary. Default expectation when on-leash is “don’t pull me, don’t trip me, and keep up.” I don’t care which side my dog walks on and I’m okay with side changes, as I want them to have the capability to avoid scary objects by using their curve.
- Too Far: you have hit the barrier, please do not move farther in that direction.
- With Me: walking right next to me on whatever side I choose. Stay on that side until released.
- This Way: moving back towards my direction. No expectation of coming to me. Used a lot for when my dog gets too far in one direction but would still be in view.
- Wait: Stopping and waiting for me to give further instruction, often a release to continue.
- Come: come to me and make physical contact with me. Wait for further instruction.
- Release: you may continue your fun.
- Free Dog: let’s the dog know they can do what they would like without having to worry about checking in with me. When I need to communicate for them to begin focusing their attention back towards me, I will often call them. This begins a new expectation.
Each of these behaviors can be worked on without having a leash attached. Start inside your home or in your backyard. Be sure to use yummy rewards and keep sessions short. You may also use the opportunity to play fetch, chase, or go hunt for walking nicely with you. Remember, your dog doesn’t have to walk right beside you, in what is known as the “heel” position. Your dog’s walks should be enjoyable and relaxing for all involved. This means your dog can sniff while walking, urinate or defecate with space from their owner, avoid conflict by moving in the opposite direction, or can communicate they are too uncomfortable by refusing to move forward with you. If you have your dog on a tight leash, you are preventing them from having agency over their safety.
Lastly, having good walking words isn’t the only aspect of loose leash walking or off-leash control. You also need to have a good relationship with your dog, which means your dog trusts you and knows you will keep them safe and help them succeed in all environments. You need to ensure your dog has the brain capacity to handle the distractions that you will encounter which come from exposure therapy/training and maturity.
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