Why it happens
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Pulling pays off
When the dog tightens the lead and you step after it, it gets what it wanted – it reaches the tree or the other dog. Every time pulling works, the habit gets stronger.
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A different pace
A dog's natural pace is quicker than a person's, and keeping to the speed of a slow-walking human does not come naturally. A puppy or young dog, especially after a long day indoors, is full of energy and in a hurry.
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Smells and things to see
Outdoors is full of news for a dog: other dogs' scent marks, cats, birds, dropped scraps of food. It hurries to check it all, and a walk with no time to sniff only adds to the urge to surge ahead.
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Pushing back against pressure
When the lead tightens and presses on the neck or chest, a dog instinctively leans the other way. The harder you pull back, the harder it pulls forward.
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The dominance myth
A dog does not pull because it wants to be "the leader" or show who is in charge. That is a myth: pulling is a learnt habit, not an attempt to run the family.
What helps
- A well-fitted harness A harness that leaves the shoulders free to move and does not slide up onto the neck spreads the pressure across the chest. For a dog that still pulls, it is safer than a collar, because it does not press on the throat.
- A collar of the right size If you walk your dog on a collar, you should be able to slip two fingers under it, but it must not slide over the head. Small breeds and dogs with a delicate neck are still better off in a harness.
- Slower walks with sniffing time Set aside part of each walk for calm sniffing on a longer lead in a park or a meadow. A dog that has had a good sniff walks more calmly afterwards.
- Reward a loose lead When the lead is slack, praise your dog and give it a treat by your leg. When it tightens the lead, stop and wait until it turns back or the lead goes slack, then walk on. The dog learns that a loose lead is what moves you forward.
- Nothing that causes pain Do not jerk the lead, and do not use anything that causes pain. It does not teach a dog to walk beside you, it can injure the neck, and it can make a dog more fearful of or hostile to other dogs.
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When to see a trainer or behaviourist
A qualified trainer who uses reward-based methods is the best person to show you how to teach loose-lead walking. See one especially if your dog lunges at other dogs or people, barking and growling, or if you simply cannot hold it any more. In the meantime, walk it in quieter places and at quieter times of day.
When it is a question for a vet
See a vet if pulling makes your dog cough, wheeze or honk, if it avoids lowering its head or yelps when you put on the collar or harness, if its bark has changed, or if a dog that always pulled suddenly lags behind and tires quickly – this can be a sign of pain or illness.