Loose-leash walking is a great skill to master with your pup. It allows your dog a little more freedom to explore and sniff around on your walks, so they aren’t right by your side all the time – and they’re less likely to drag you around if they see or smell something exciting!
But, how do you teach your dog to walk well when they’re on a loose leash? Well, it involves some of the best dog treats and just a little bit of work from you – as professional trainers Ella Camps-Linney and Alistair Mackenzie, the owners of Kirby Dog Training, have explained in a recent Instagram post.
“When you’re reinforcing walking position with food, it’s best to deliver the food with the hand next to the dog – so, the same hand that’s next to them,” Camps-Linney explains while walking their dog, Banjo.
“This makes for a really nice smooth delivery,” she continues, “And you know it helps just keep the flow of your walking going really nicely.”
If you give your dog the treats with your other hand, on your opposite side, it can be a little more “clunky” as Camps-Linney puts it, and might make it more difficult for your pup to walk in a straight line. After all, they need to come across your body, almost, to get and eat the treat. This might be distracting for them, and disrupt the rhythm and flow of your walk – for more things that might be making your walks more difficult than they need to be, here are three of the most common loose leash walking mistakes (and how to fix them).
If you have a smaller dog, and you find it difficult to bend down to give them their treats, Camps-Linney recommends simply rolling the food out in front of them. It’s a lot easier on you!
For more advice on walking your pup, here’s how to stop a dog pulling on a leash – you don’t need us to tell you just how frustrating it can be when all you want is a nice, relaxing walk and some quality time with your four-legged friend.
Perhaps your dog is getting to grips with walking on a loose leash, but you’re hoping to improve their off-leash walking skills? If this is the case for you and your pup, don’t forget to take a look at these 15 helpful ways to get your dog to come back to you on off-leash walks.
