Master Loose Leash Walking: Top 6 Expert Tips for a Well-Behaved Dog
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Unlock Loose Leash Walking: 6 Proven Tips for Better Walks with Your Dog

As a professional dog trainer, struggles with loose leash walking are one of the most common issues we come across.

It might be that your dog is dragging you from pillar to post, sniffing to their heart's content while you're left clinging on for dear life. Maybe they've almost sent you flying as they dart out in front of you to greet another dog or person across the street. Or perhaps you've even stopped walking your dog altogether to avoid the unpleasant experience, leading to guilt, and a dog who spends more time in the backyard than out enjoying life with you.

If you're reading this, chances are at least one of those scenarios sounds familiar.

The good news? There is a light at the end of the tunnel. With patience, consistency, and a bit of practice, you and your dog can absolutely learn to enjoy calm, relaxed walks together.

Whether you've got a brand-new puppy or an older dog who's had years of practising less-than-polite leash manners, these 6 tips will help you get there.

Let's get started

1. Build Value in You Rather Than the Environment

In order for our dogs to pay more attention to us on walks and less attention to every smell, dog, or person they see, we need to look at the relationship we have with them.

Do they see you as someone they can look to in times of uncertainty?
Or are they more likely to react first and ask questions later?
Do they enjoy interacting with you, or do you suddenly become invisible the moment another dog appears?

One of the easiest ways to start shifting this is through hand feeding. Next time brekkie comes around, skip the food bowl. Pop their food into a pouch and take it with you on your walk instead.

Reward your dog every time they:

  • Check in with you
  • Walk beside you
  • Stop when you stop
  • Ignore distractions
👉

The more you reward behaviours you like, the more likely your dog is to repeat them.

2. Look at Switching Up Your Dog's Equipment

There are plenty of tools out there that claim to fix loose leash walking but the truth is, no tool replaces training.

That said, the right equipment can absolutely help.

It is important to remember that what works for one dog might not work for another and that is completely fine. We always want to train the dog in front of us and choose gear that suits their individual needs.

When I start working with a new dog, one of the first things I assess is the equipment they are currently using:

  • Is it helping?
  • Is it hindering?
  • Or is it just not working at all?

From there, we can start building proper loose leash walking foundations.

Generally, I do not love using harnesses when teaching loose leash walking, as they can allow dogs to lean forward and pull with their full weight. That said, they can absolutely be used later on once your dog understands what is being asked.

A good loose leash walk should not rely on just one piece of equipment it should transfer across different tools and even off leash when safe.

If you are unsure what to use, it is always worth getting guidance rather than guessing.

Explore:

3. Consider the Environment You're Training In

When teaching any new skill, we want to start in an environment with as little distraction as possible.

For most dogs, that means:

  • Your home
  • Your backyard
  • A quiet, familiar space
From there, you can gradually build up:
1
Driveway
2
Quiet street
3
Around the block
4
Then more distracting environments
👉

"Is my dog actually ready for this yet?"

Loose leash walking is built through small, successful repetitions, not by throwing your dog into the deep end.

4. Be Aware of Reward Placement

What is reward placement?

It's how and where you deliver the reward—and it can make a big difference.

A common mistake is rewarding across your body, which encourages your dog to swing in front of you and cut across your path.

Incorrect

Rewarding across your body encourages cutting in front

Correct

Reward beside your leg to maintain proper position

Instead:

  • 1 Dog on your left-hand side
  • 2 Treat pouch on your left hip
  • 3 Feed directly from your left hand, next to your leg

This helps your dog understand that staying in line with your leg is the ideal position—rather than zig-zagging, cutting in front, or lagging behind.

5. Introduce a Walking Command, Marker Word and Release Word

You might be thinking, but when does my dog get to just be a dog? Do they always have to walk next to you? Are they never allowed to sniff?

The answer: sometimes, no and of course they can sniff.

The key is clear communication.

We want our dogs to understand:

  • When they should walk nicely
  • When they have done the right thing
  • When they are free to do their own thing

Walking command

Examples

Use a word like “heel”, “close”, or “slowly”

Reward marker

Examples

“yes” → followed by food

Release word

Examples

“free”, “break”, or even “party!”

This tells your dog exactly what is expected and when they can switch off.

6. Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

Your dog didn't learn to pull overnight, they learned through repetition.

So naturally, teaching them a better behaviour will also take repetition.

If you've got a puppy:

  • Keep sessions short (around 5 minutes)
  • Train multiple times a day

If you've got an older dog:

  • It may take longer
  • But it's absolutely possible

"My dog is 5 years old—have I left it too late?"

Not at all.

You can absolutely teach an old dog new tricks—it just means you'll need to put in consistent reps to replace the old behaviour with a new one. If you swap out a couple of high-energy park visits for structured training walks each day, you'll likely start seeing progress sooner than you expect.

Final Thoughts

Teaching your dog to walk nicely on leash is well worth the time and effort.

Because if walks are stressful, you're far less likely to do them—and that means your dog misses out on experiencing the world with you.

Loose leash walking isn't just about stopping pulling. It:

  • Engages your dog mentally and physically
  • Helps with other behaviours like reactivity
  • Strengthens your relationship

Take your time, stay consistent, and keep training sessions short, fun, and rewarding.

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