Loose Leash Walking Challenge

WHERE/WHEN CAN YOU FOCUS?

To work on loose leash walking YOU have to be as focused as you expect your dog to be, so put the phone away, stop daydreaming and get connected! One of the reasons why LLW is so challenging is because it is so hard to stay focused in all the moments you have your dog on a leash. So for this week I challenge you to find two spots in your day, each day, where you can focus on that LLW! This week I am going to concentrate on keeping Leo’s leash loose: walking to the car from my front door and for the last 1/4 mile of our daily walks.

HERE ARE SOME LOOSE LEASH WALKING TIPS:

• Have a fixed length leash, it is hard for a dog to learn where leash tension will occur if that distance is constantly changing! So pick the length you will give your dog and be consistent about that.

• Consider using a longer leash, sometimes simply changing from a 4ft leash to a 8ft leash can alleviate a lot of leash tension. (be aware of local leash laws, many state the max length of leash)

• Decide before you go how you will respond to leash tension: are you going to stop? Turn around? Mark the tension and reinforce behind you?

• Focus on catching them being correct and reinforce them for staying connected and engaged with you.

• Don’t make leash walks your dog’s only exercise! Use play, treat scatters, food puzzles, trick/fit dog training, etc to burn off energy so they are not unexercised before you walk.

• Meet their needs. This relates to the previous tip, if your dog gets little exercise or little time to explore when they walk they are going to NEED to explore and move MORE, so find other ways to meet their needs so they are able to walk calmly with you. (use sniff spots, fenced fields, long line sniffaries, swimming, etc to give them time to move their bodies and use their noses!