# Loose leash walking advice, please?



## NewtsHooman (Aug 4, 2017)

So I have a 10 month old pup, who is a nightmare to walk on leash.

Tools I use: Normal collar and 6 ft long leash

Here are things I've already tried :

1) Standing like a tree and not moving when he pulls 

But even if I stand like a tree he just pulls left, right and now tries to go behind me, with his nose glued to the ground. I keep the leash short, but he strains as much as he can to get his nose to the ground. Once he does get bored and stops to look at me and give me attention, I bring him back to my side and start going ahead. But the same thing happens again as soon as we've taken 2 steps forward.

2) Turning around and walking back when he moves ahead of me

This worked the first few times, but now when I turn he just zooms past me, and takes a 360 degree turn before I do, in the process turning me around, instead of the other way around. (I dont know if I should laugh or cry /sigh) 


So any advice on how you guys handled leash pulling? Front clip/No pull harnesses are not easily available here, I would have to order it from Amazon Global store and get it imported, so using one is not my first preference. Though I am willing to do it, if there isn't any other choice.
Also for people who suggest seeking help from a trainer - Trainers here would use choke collar or slip leads, and would give a correctional jerk/pull on the leash to discourage the behavior. Again, this is not something I really want to do, because I'm terrified of his neck getting hurt. 

Are these corrections the only way to go? Can anyone please tell me if there are any other techniques I can use?


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## Ffcmm (May 4, 2016)

nothing has worked as well for me as a front clip harness. I too live in Singapore where it is not easily accessible, and had it imported in via amazon- but trust me it was worth the wait!


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## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

I keep a a stash of kibble treats in my pocket and call him back whenever he begins to pull. As soon as we start walking again I praise and treat before he has a chance to pull. It's a process we are still working on. I often find myself at work with a pocket full of dog food:frown2:


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

Are you training with treats? I have started our dogs walking nicely using some of the techniques in this article:

https://denisefenzipetdogs.com/2015/09/06/loose-leash-walking-llw/

Consistency with one technique will pay off.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

First off - get a four-foot leash. They are much easier to work with. 

Make it a rule that your dog has to walk on your left. Fill your left pocket with treats or kibble. Hold the leash in your right hand and treat as your dog walks nicely. Keep his attention with the treat. You can hold it and let him walk a few feet, then treat and praise, walk, treat, praise. And over time, lengthen the distance between treats (this will take weeks). Praise good walking constantly. Sit at lights and corners. He should eventually learn to sit automatically when you stop. But be patient. It does take consistency and time.


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## NewtsHooman (Aug 4, 2017)

Ffcmm said:


> nothing has worked as well for me as a front clip harness. I too live in Singapore where it is not easily accessible, and had it imported in via amazon- but trust me it was worth the wait!


Yeah, maybe its time I got one :/




cwag said:


> I keep a a stash of kibble treats in my pocket and call him back whenever he begins to pull. As soon as we start walking again I praise and treat before he has a chance to pull.





BriGuy said:


> Are you training with treats?





Sweet Girl said:


> Fill your left pocket with treats or kibble.


He has atopic dermatitis, so he's allergic to 95% of all the food items I can use as treats 
Also he has ZERO interest in food when we're outside. Before his CAD diagnosis, I had tried everything from dog biscuits to kibbles to fruits/vegetables/boiled meat, nothing worked! Not even chicken (which is his favorite thing in the world). Infact he even threw the food out of his moth a couple of times!
And with toys, either he has no interest in them, or he gets too excited and starts jumping and trying to grab it for me. He doesn't do that with toys at home though. Something about outdoor environments really riles him up :|

@BriGuy Thanks for the link, I'll check it out


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## FosterGolden (Mar 10, 2014)

I have had a lot of luck with Gentle Leaders like the ones the Guide Dogs for the Blind use. We use them with fosters and I used one temporarily on one of my dogs when he went through a lunging phase. You can keep his face off the ground in the first place with them without pulling or jerking. I know there are articles about them causing injury, but frankly there are articles for every type of collar, even flat buckle, causing injury. You do have to acclimate the dog to them though.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

You need to train your dog on how to walk. I found Morgan Spector's CLICKER TRAINING FOR OBEDIENCE very helpful for this. He describes a method for the chronic forger that worked great for me but you need persistence in training. Get the book and read about it. I have adapted his technique for my dogs. The reward does not have to be food. Good walking gets a reward which is visible while walking, dog is walking to the reward. I first trained this with with a white target on the ground with food ion it.

When my dog gets interested in something like a tree that has a squirrel in it, she will try to forge ahead to get to the tree. I do not walk unless she is right at my side. We will walk this way to the tree, then I give her an OK and she can check out the tree (reward). Forging brings us back to start. Also, when we walk, my dog must be next to me. I decide when it is OK to "Go sniff". I walk the dog, the dog does not walk me.

Again, persistence in training.


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