Jennifer Treanor
Getting started
How to set you and your dog up for success
Address other issues first
Analyse what exactly it is that goes wrong on your walks and look to address those issues before the walking itself. For example, what do you want your dog to do when they want to go sniff something? Focus on what they should learn to do instead of what not to do.
Make a plan
Identify what needs to be done and how to address each step. Remember to make each step easily accessible, and set your dog and yourself up for success. For example, don't start walking practice along the main road if your dog is scared of the loud trucks and trailers that go by. While you should generally stick to your plan, be ready to add in levels or layers as you go to help them succeed.
Make it achievable
Don't expect to practice for your whole walk, even if your dog starts with it working well. It is too much for both of you in the beginning. Instead, start with small amounts of success and then time doing what they like on a walk. Build up the duration of the practice and frequency during your walks as they succeed.
Build it up at your dog's pace
Every dog works at a different pace, just like us. Make sure you are not trying to push on too quickly and that each step of your plan is robust before moving on. Also keep in mind, we all have off days, including our dogs. It is okay to take days off and to go backwards for a few days if it is needed.
Proof it
Make it work in every context. Start with easy setups, such as a quiet and boring patch of footpath that you may have gone over already. Ensure there are no other distractions, keep up a high rate of reward, make it easy to get right. Then change one thing at a time. Change locations but keep everything else the same. Next time, keep the same location but add more time to the practice. Gradually introduce distractions as each layer is reliable before moving on.
Ask for help
While leash walking is not technically difficult, spotting all the nuances of why it isn't working, how your dog learns, and how best to go about things can be tricky. It is difficult to see the whole picture when you are right in the middle of it. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
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Step 1
Start somewhere and easy, give your dog 5 minutes or so to get all the sniffs in and engage with them as they explore the environment.
When they are all done, say 'find it' and throw a treat beside you on the ground to find. When they look up for another, say 'yes' and drop another treat right beside you at your leg. Ideally, drop the treats at the leg on the opposite side to the hand holding the leash. Pop your treats in your pocket on the same side as you are dropping them.
Repeat this for 3-10 treats, stop if your dog is getting bored.
Step 2
Continue to do step 1 in different spots for at most 2 minutes at a time. When your dog is doing this easily in each place, you can then move onto this step.
Repeat step 1 for 2 treats. After this, when your dog looks up for their next treat, say 'Let's go' and take one step forward and immediately drop the treat at your side as before. When your dog looks up again for the next treat, slightly change your direction and repeat.
Work on this until your dog is happily moving with you when you say 'Let's go' every time you say it and step forward. Remember to keep your leash loose, don't pull them along by the leash. If they don't move, pause with them a few moments and try again. If still nothing, take a break for the day and try again tomorrow. Keep each practice to under two minutes each but repeat as often as you can on your walk.
Step 3
Once your dog is happily moving with you one step in each of the different spots you are practicing in on your walks, you can start to add more distance before dropping that treat.
Don't be tempted to start walking down the road, and don't always make it harder when they succeed. Start with giving that treat every 2-6 steps, randomise it in that range. When that is reliable, move up to 3-10 steps.
In each moment, judge whether your dog is in the right frame of mind for the level of difficulty. If not, there is never any harm making it easier and build it up later. It is better to set yourself and your dog up for success than push too hard and cause discouragement.
What next?
Join us in one of our courses to get started on your leash walking journey, understand where things might be sticky for your dog and their progress or get personalised help for your dog's leash walking needs.