Leash Walking Etiquette 101

Leash Walking Etiquette 101

By LukEli K-9, Dog Training and Behavior Modification Professionals

In my experience as both a dog training professional and through observations of dog owners in parks and other public venues, proper leash walking etiquette of both dog and owner is more times than not non-existent.

What is it I mean by “leash etiquette” you ask? Well etiquette is defined as “the customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group.” So how does this apply to leash walking?

 

When we attach a leash to our dog, whether it be to collar or some form of harness (harnesses may be part of the issue, but we won’t be talking about that in this article), we have now made a lifeline or umbilical cord so to speak between our hand and our dog. I cannot even begin to count how many times I have heard pet owners say, “My dog walks perfectly on the leash when we go for our daily strolls, but he acts like he has no brain at all when we are in public.”

This phenomenon, as it may seem, is not much of a marvel after all. I can guarantee that if you take into consideration the next few things I’m about to say, most, if not all your leash problems will go away in a very short time.

First step to achieving the perfect leash companion is to BE CONSISTENT!

Consistency is the absolute most important thing to remember when training your dog for anything. Choose a leash everyone in the household is comfortable with and only use that one specific leash when going for walks.

We highly recommend a four to six-foot leather or nylon leash; retractable leashes are not ideal when training your dog to walk nicely on a leash. Retractable leashes are not consistent either. They range from one foot up to 15 feet at the same time, therefore making it impossible to be consistent with the amount of leash your dog is allowed to use when going for walks. They also always have tension in them. Your dog needs to learn to keep the leash loose between your hand and them. This cannot be done if there is always tension between the two of you as you are walking.

If you insist on a retractable leash because you live in a place where your dog has to do his business while attached to it, consider walking your dog on your 4-6 foot lead and switching them to a retractable or long line and teaching them a cue like “go potty” to release them from walking by your side when you get to their potty area. It does add an extra step for you but it’s a small price to pay for having a well-behaved pooch walking by your side.

Next step in leash walking your dog is to TEACH them how to walk on the leash correctly.

Dogs are born with some pretty spectacular innate behaviors like herding or tracking, but walking on a leash is not one of them. Dogs have to be taught how to properly walk beside you. Dogs also have four legs to your two, often times pulling between dog and owner (bigger dogs especially) occur because the dog naturally walks faster then you do.

So what do you do to help your dog learn where and how fast they are supposed to walk?

Hank, fostered through Great Dane Friends of Ruff Love,
gets a lesson on leash loose leash walking

Start out by teaching them that beside you, when the leash is loose, good things happen. Keep a pocket full of treats when going on walks and reward them with a treat and praise whenever they are in the proper position. Don’t worry, you will not have to treat the dog the rest of their lives to get them to walk on the leash correctly. Once the dog learns a behavior treat rewards start happening on a variable reinforcement schedule (to learn more about reducing rewards when training make sure to read our upcoming blog about using treats for training).

Third step: remember to STAY CALM and PROJECT a confident, soft attitude to your dog.

It is sometimes very difficult (I myself am guilty of this) to stay calm in a public setting when our dogs are whizzing around like a kite in the wind at the end of their leash. Try to remember that the leash is a link between you and your dog. If you become excited or agitated it is very likely that your dog will have the same attitude.

Also try to remember that the end goal is for your dog to walk on a loose leash beside you. Many times it seems easier just to drag them the direction you want to go or to shorten your leash to a length that prevents them from being a nuisance. While both those options will work for the short term, neither has done anything to teach the dog that the behaviors they are displaying are incorrect. Lure them back to your side with those treats you should have in your pocket, reward them for being beside you. Pretty soon your dog will not think twice about leaving your side, after all that’s where the good things happen.

Finally the fourth and I will leave you with is PRACTICE and SOCIALIZE.

While you are in the process of teaching your dog how to properly walk beside you make sure to practice often. Dogs, just like us, do not become skilled at something without adequate time spent practicing it. Also remember to socialize them often and practice your leash walking in variety of places.

Now remember that dog mentioned at the beginning of the article (not your dog you would never be the owner of THAT dog)? You know the one who walks perfectly on a leash at home but not so perfectly when going to the vet or groomers? I am willing to bet that if their owner had spent the time upfront TEACHING them the proper way to walk on leash, REWARDING them for the right thing, along with STAYING CALM, SOCIALIZING, and PRACTICING often at a variety of places, both that dog and their owner would have a much better handle on what it means to have leash etiquette.

 One last thing I’ll leave you with; keep in mind that all of the above steps can be taught at any point in the dogs life. The old saying, “you can’s teach an old dog new tricks”, is completely false. Puppies and adolescent dogs learn new behaviors much more quickly and easily, but don’t be fooled; adult and even senior dogs can learn “new tricks”. Training their owners, on the other hand, I will leave up to you.

LukEli K-9 Dog Training and Behavior Modification offers 2 hour leash walking classes, as well as private lessons, for anyone needing help grounding their high flying kite.