STOP PULLING ME!!!

Dogs need exercise and they need to get out for adventures.  If dogs don’t get exercise and don’t get out they can start having a wide range of behavior problems.  Although most people know this, lots of dog guardians struggle with balancing this need with the embarrassment, physical pain, fear of being dragged, and frustration that comes with walking a dog who has poor leash manners.
Loose leash walking (LLW) is one of the skills I really focus on when teaching my basic level classes because I think it’s a foundational behavior for many dogs (since without it, they may not get walked which, like I said, can cause issues).  Dogs who walk even reasonably nicely are more likely to get out and get walks–if dogs are dangerous or embarrassing to walk, they don’t get out.
I really like working on LLWing with clients and foster dogs, I think it’s so much fun!  I have really worked hard to create a method of teaching LLWing that I felt was simple for people to learn and easy for them to practice.  My method is based off of the fantastic work of Helix Fairweather though I had to modify it quite a bit to fit into  my class curriculum.  What I love about this method is that it shapes a loose leash walk that is actually a reasonably tight heel behavior or rules can be relaxed to teach more of a casual loose leash behavior.  Or, for those interested, it’s easy to teach both skills from this foundation.
So, here is my How To Teach Loose Leash Walking or How To Get Fido To Stop Pulling On The Leash video!  I hope you enjoy!!
 

How do YOU teach loose leash walking?
Here is another video showing two exercises/games you can play to mix up your LLWing practice and training.  These are lots of fun to do and help keep you and your pup enjoying the work!