7 Products That Make Loose Leash Walking Easy

Loose leash walking is one of the most common behaviour issues that dog trainers are asked to help with.  It can be stressful, and sometimes even dangerous, for the owner when taking a strong dog a walk that is pulling on the leash all the time.  It can also be a problem for your dog. The constant strain on the dog’s neck from pulling can cause throat injuries.

It is always good to take the time and effort to work on a loose leash walking training programme with your dog from the word go.  Putting the effort in early on can make your walks much more pleasant and safer for you both. See our loose leash walking article for more detailed specifics on how to train this successfully.

Working on loose leash walking can make walks a much more pleasurable experience for both you and your dog 

There are a number of tools that can also be useful for you to consider when you are about to start the training, and we have listed some of our recommendations below.

A Training Leash

It may sound obvious but using the right sort of leash can make a huge difference in managing the success of your training.  If you have one that is too long it can make it more difficult to maintain control, too short and you can’t give the level of freedom that allows the dog to make the right choices and be rewarded.

While using a standard 6 – 9ft leash will be fine, we always recommend an adjustable length training leash.  This gives you more options depending on the size of your dog and the distance you want to work with them at.

They are also versatile for all sorts of other reasons.  If you want to give your dog some “free” time during the session and give them the opportunity to sniff or have a bit more freedom then they can have it, and if you want to keep them close, say in busy traffic, you don’t have to wrap the leash around your hand multiple times.

One of our favourites is the Halti Training Leash by Company of Animals.  It is not expensive, it is made from a soft webbing material that is comfortable on the hands, it comes in two widths to accommodate different strengths and sizes of dogs and it has multiple length adjustments.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t come in lots of fancy colour choices but, apart from that, we don’t have any gripes.

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A Well-Fitting Harness

While using a traditional flat collar will generally be fine, we are fans of harnesses.  They ensure that any strain is taken away from the delicate neck area and this is particularly important if you have a dog that is currently pulling and you are just working on the training.

For flat faced, brachycephalic breeds that are known for having breathing issues, we would always recommend using a harness.

There are lots of different types of harnesses on the market.  It is important to make sure that you get one that fits your dog well and does not rub or impede their movement at all.

There are lots of brands that claim that they will stop pulling.  Generally, a harness will only stop a dog from pulling completely if it is so uncomfortable or painful that the dog has to stop pulling to avoid the pain and then, of course, it would not be a recommended product.  Many of the products that make these claims are ones that dogs will still pull against regardless.

Sometimes front attaching harnesses can be helpful while training your dog.  These are ones where a double ended leash (like the Halti Training Leash) can be attached to a front clip at the dog’s chest and also a clip in between their shoulder blades.  When the dog pulls you are able to control their centre of gravity more effectively and this can help encourage them to stop pulling, for which they can then be rewarded.

By using the front and back clips you reduce the risk of the harness just slipping around their body and becoming ineffective (this can often happen with harnesses that only have a front attachment, rather than both).

One of the more popular styles is the Freedom No-Pull Harness.

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The Ruffwear Front Range Harness is also a popular and durable choice and my own personal harness of choice.

 

High Value Rewards

Make sure that you always go out armed with lots of super tasty and novel treats when you are working on loose leash walking.  You need to reward your dog when they offer the behaviour you are looking for.

Boring kibble or dry dog biscuits are not going to do the trick.  You need something extra special, that they don’t get normally, that they absolutely adore and ideally you want something that is small or easy to cut into little pieces.

Every dog is different in terms of what they will work well for.  Some dogs like things with a high meat content, some like things that are soft and smelly.  You need to work out what your dogs favourite is, and go from there. Often things like roast chicken or little pieces of cheese or frankfurter sausages are popular but there are also lots of great dog training treats on the market too.

Always try to pick something that is high quality and healthy for your dog.  If you can get something that is not going to stink up your pockets or become just a big jumbled mush then this is a bonus.  Try to vary things too, if you only ever feed one treat they can become bored quickly.

Zuke’s Mini Naturals Dog Treats are very popular and healthy to boot.  They come in a variety of flavours, are small enough for training and they are made from high-quality ingredients.

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A  Good Training Treat Bag

To save your pockets getting smelly and full of crumbs, and to give you quick and easy access to the rewards you want to give your dog while in the training session, making sure you have a good training treat pouch can be really useful.

There are lots of options on the market but ideally you want something that has ease of access, can hold enough treats, is easy to clean and will sit comfortably and securely.

The Doggone Good Rapid Reward Training Treat Pouch is a popular and practical choice.

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A Clicker

While not essential, a clicker can be a really useful tool for helping your dog master loose leash walking.  If your dog is taught to understand that anytime they hear a click they know that they will be rewarded for the behaviour they offered at that moment it can speed up their comprehension and thus the training sessions may not need to be as long for your dog to “get it”.

Every time your dog offers a few steps of walking with a loose leash you can mark this with a click and then an immediate reward.   Once they are reliably offering a few steps, you can then wait for them to offer a few steps more and then click and reward this. Building up the length of time gradually like this is an effective training technique and the clicker just helps to make things clear for your dog.

There are lots of clickers on the market but the I-Click from renowned clicker training expert Karen Pryor is a good option.  Inexpensive, compact and with an easy click motion, you can’t go wrong really.

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A Favourite Toy

Some dogs may not be as motivated by food, but will do anything for their favourite tugger or squeaky toy.  Having a robust toy that you can use to encourage and reward your dog with during the loose leash walking training sessions can be very useful.

Having something that can be easy to have a quick tugging session with them, that has a handle to hold onto or that is small enough to fit into a pocket can be a good option.

A Head Collar (with Caveats)

I am not a huge fan of head collars personally, but if they are introduced in a positive way so that your dog is not distressed when wearing them (always introduced with lots of yummy rewards and it is built up gradually), then some people can find these a useful training aid and way of controlling their dogs while they work on loose leash walking.  On their own, they will generally not teach your dog not to pull, so anytime your dog is walked without them they will likely still pull like a train but, if you need an extra bit of assistance while you do work on the training, they can be helpful.

It is important to ensure that you select one that is the right fit.  It must be snug enough that it does not ride up into their eyes or fall off their snout easily, but if it is too tight it can restrict their ability to pant.

The Pet Safe Gentle Leader is a popular choice.

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Products That Are Not Recommended

There are some products that are recommended for loose leash walking that can actually be dangerous or harmful to your dog and there are some that, although not specifically recommended, if they are used can increase the likelihood of injury or will not be setting you or your dog up for success.  Some of the products that we would recommend steering clear of are detailed below.

Aversive Tools

There are lots of tools that are used for loose leash walking training that rely on them causing pain and discomfort to your dog for them to work.  Often the dog will continue to pull on them anyway, risking injury and, even if it does offer a temporary quick fix, the dog will still pull when they are not being used.  Surely it is kinder and more effective in the long term to train using force free and positive methods? You will have a stronger bond with your dog, rather than getting them to do your bidding through fear or pain.

Some of the more common of these solutions include:

A Choke or Prong Collar or Slip Leash

These work by continuing to tighten around your dog’s neck when they pull,sometimes also with harsh prongs that push into the dog’s skin.  They are also often used to make sharp ‘corrections’ when it will be suddenly pulled to its tightest whenever the dog pulls.

These types of tools can increase the risk of your dog having respiratory issues or neck and throat injuries like laryngeal paralysis or a collapsed trachea.

Dogs on choke chains can risk serious throat injuries in continually pulling on the leash 

A Shock Collar

Shock Collars or E-Collars are often the go-to quick fix solution for a number of training issues, including loose leash walking.  They work by giving the owner the ability to give their dog an electric shock via a remote control whenever they produce an undesired behaviour.

Not only is this training through fear and pain, but dogs can become desensitised to the pain levels and the level of shock then has to be turned up so high that it can cause burns to the dog’s neck.  Some dogs will end up reacting against the shock and can become aggressive as a result.

Rattle Bottles or Sprays

While these are definitely less harsh than choke or shock collars, they are still working by frightening your dog and are best avoided.  Rattle bottles are usually plastic bottles filled with pebbles and these are shaken hard every time your dog pulls on the leash. Sprays can be anything from a bottle that sprays water to a compressed air aerosol that emits a loud hiss.

Because they can give your dog a fright, it may then cause them to stop pulling.   While they may work in the short term, a lot of dogs can become desensitised and then they are no longer effective and for those dogs that they do work with, again you are eroding the bond that you have with your dog and they can become mistrustful or fearful of you as a result.

In my early days of dog ownership, I misguidedly used this technique.  It didn’t work other than to make one of my dogs sensitive to certain noises!

Retractable Leashes

Retractable or Flexi Leashes are not an aversive, but they are not a great option for use when loose leash walking training.  When used on their flexible function it is difficult to keep control and it also does not give your dog an understanding of the boundary of the end of the leash.

Using a retractable leash is not an effective tool for helping train loose leash walking