Does your dog drag you down the road like a steam train, leaving you feeling frustrated, embarrassed and dreading the walk? You’re not alone. The 2024 Dogs Trust National Dog Survey asked over 370,000 UK dog owners what behaviours they struggled with most. Lead pulling came in the top three (alongside separation anxiety and reactivity).
I’ve seen firsthand how overwhelmed owners become when what’s supposed to be a time of enjoyment turns into a daily nightmare. One lady I visited had dislocated her shoulder trying desperately to keep control of her dog. Others walk early morning or late at night to avoid critical stares and countless people have been pulled over. In fact, excluding bites, being pulled over by your dog is the leading cause of non-fatal dog-related injuries in the UK.
Sadly, most people are trying to fix this in entirely the wrong place, so grab a cuppa and get comfortable, because I’m about to show you exactly what works.
It starts before you leave the house – the missing link
The first step is to stop any over-excitement before you even go out the door. That means no more saying “walkies!” or any other words your dog’s learned that mean they are going out. If your dog reacts, jumps or barks when you get the lead out, or when you put your shoes or coat on, you need to spend time desensitising them.
You do this by getting the lead out, or putting your coat and shoes on, throughout the day without taking your dog anywhere. When they react, ignore what they’re doing – look away, walk off and don’t give them any attention for the behaviour you don’t want them to do. You’re not teasing your dog, you’re simply breaking the association between these triggers and the walk, which stops the over-excitement and sometimes manic behaviour.
You can’t get through to an over-excited dog any more than you can reason with hyped-up children. If your dog’s already bouncing off the walls before you open the front door, you’ve already lost.
Start training in the home
When your dog is calm when you get the lead out, the next step is to teach them where you want them to be when they’ve got their lead on.
You do this by clipping their lead on around three times a day for about ten minutes. You’re not going out, you’re just going to walk around the house doing your normal things. Maybe you put the washing away, move between rooms, whatever you’d normally do. Wherever you go, your dog just comes with you.
I get that it will feel a bit odd at first, but what you’re doing is teaching your dog that being on the lead means calm walking beside you, not getting all hyped up about going out for a walk.
What you’re looking for is your dog walking near your side without pulling ahead or lagging behind, and the lead should be loose, not tight. When they get it right, give them some quiet praise and a treat, but only when they’re calm and relaxed.
If they pull ahead, just stand still and don’t move again until the lead goes slack, then you can carry on. Your dog learns that a loose lead means we keep moving, a tight lead means everything stops. There are no squirrels, no other dogs and no distractions, which makes it much easier for the habit to be engrained and for you both to succeed.
When you’re standing at the front door getting ready to go out
Fantastic, by this stage, your training has paid off and you’re now at the front door with a calm dog. Before you step outside, there are two things to do:
- Take a moment to breathe and picture a lovely walk. I know that’s not easy if you’ve been dreading walks for months, but you need to shift your expectations. Instead of thinking “what if it all goes wrong“, imagine your dog walking calmly by your side, looking at you for guidance, and the two of you having a wonderful walk together.
- You go out the door first with your dog following behind you. No more being dragged down your driveway by a dog that’s already lost their mind. If your dog does rush ahead or pull, don’t go into battle; instead, go back inside, close the door, let them settle and try again. A few repetitions of going in and out of the front door will make a massive difference.
During the walk
Brilliant, you’ve done the groundwork and your dog has learnt what being on the lead and going for a walk means. But here’s what a lot of people don’t realise: dogs don’t naturally walk at our pace or in a straight line, which means there will be times when a smell, another dog or something they see makes them want to pull in that direction.
Of course, you’ll let them sniff and do the things that are safe and joyful for them, but without you being dragged along.
When they do pull in front, here are two training exercises to use:
- Stop and start – Just like you did at home, the moment your dog pulls you, stop completely, wait for them to calm down, call them back to your side and then start walking again. This reinforces that when the lead becomes tight, the walk stops.
- Change direction – As soon as there’s tension on the lead, turn and walk in the opposite direction. No calling, no warning, just turn and your dog will follow. If they pull ahead again, turn again and walk the other way. Your dog quickly learns that pulling doesn’t get them closer to what they want, it gets them further away.
You can use treats as well, just make sure they don’t over-excite your dog. You want this to still be a walk, not your dog constantly staring at you waiting for food, which becomes stressful for both of you.
The key to success
This all sounds simple, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. Dogs need clear, consistent communication, nothing fancy or complicated.
I’ve had so many students and clients who’ve been utterly amazed at how quickly this works, even those who’ve struggled for months or years. The difference isn’t the dog, it’s the consistency. You need to commit to doing this every single time, not just when you remember.
If you’re currently being taken for a walk rather than the other way round, and you’d love to have your dog looking at you for direction with a loose lead and walking calmly by your side, then give this a go. I think you’ll be genuinely surprised at how well it works.
About Sharon
Sharon Bolt is a celebrity dog trainer and the founder of Good Dogs! For nearly two decades, her kind, practical approach has helped over 26,000 dog owners across 175 countries, from global pop stars to everyday families, transform struggles like pulling on the lead, aggression and unwanted behaviours into calm, happy relationships with their dogs.
A BBC Radio expert since 2008, Sharon’s trusted advice has been featured on ITV, Channel 5, The Guardian, The Independent and Daily Mail. She offers online courses and DVDs covering everything from puppy training to becoming a professional dog trainer, and licenses her professionally filmed courses to pet professionals worldwide through Private Label Rights. Visit: www.good-dogs.co.uk
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