Leash Pulling: Why It Happens & How to Fix It
- busy-pawz
- Mar 20
- 6 min read
Walking your dog should be an enjoyable experience, but for many owners, it turns into a battle of tug-of-war. If your dog drags you down the street, lunges at distractions, or won’t walk nicely on a leash, you’re not alone—leash pulling is one of the most common training struggles.
The good news? You don’t need superhuman strength to fix it. With the right techniques and consistency, you can teach your dog to walk politely on a loose leash.
Why Do Dogs Pull on the Leash?
Many owners assume that leash pulling is a dominance issue—but that’s not the case. Most dogs pull because:
🐾 They naturally walk faster than humans. Dogs have four legs, and their normal walking pace is much faster than ours. If they’re excited to get moving, they won’t instinctively slow down to match your pace.
🐾 Pulling works! If pulling gets them where they want to go faster, they’ll keep doing it. Dogs repeat behaviours that are rewarded, even if we don’t mean to reinforce them.
🐾 The environment is more valuable than their owner. Dogs are naturally curious, and on walks, everything around them—smells, sounds, other dogs, movement—is often far more interesting than the human holding the leash. The environment is a massive reward, which is why they’re so eager to get to it.
🐾 They want their space. Most dogs naturally prefer to be about 1.5 metres away from their owners—sound familiar? That’s about the length of most standard leashes! When the leash shortens that space, many dogs instinctively pull ahead to create distance.
🐾 They’ve never been taught how to walk nicely. Leash walking is a learned skill, not something dogs automatically understand. Without training, they’ll do whatever gets them to their destination fastest.
🐾 They have pent-up energy. If your dog doesn’t get enough exercise, they may pull harder because they’re desperate to release energy.
🐾 They’re anxious or reactive. Some dogs pull because they’re trying to avoid or get closer to something—whether it’s another dog, a person, or a triggering situation.
🐾 Their stress bucket is overflowing. If your dog starts pulling crazily, it’s often a sign that their stress bucket is reaching capacity. The first sign of this is usually when they stop taking treats—an indication that they are no longer in a learning mindset.
Now that we understand why dogs pull, let’s look at how to stop it for good.
Common Mistakes That Make Leash Pulling Worse
Many well-meaning owners accidentally reinforce pulling without realising it. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
🚫 Letting your dog pull to reach something. If pulling gets them closer to what they want, they’ll keep doing it.
🚫 Using an extendable leash. These leashes lack clear boundaries creating confusion. A dog learns they can pull to extend their distance, reinforcing the behaviour.
🚫 Pulling back on the leash. A tight leash creates resistance, and many dogs instinctively pull harder against it (this is called the opposition reflex).
🚫 Relying on the leash to control your dog. Ideally, your dog should walk beside you with or without a leash—the leash should just be an insurance policy, not the thing keeping them by your side.
🚫 Inconsistency. If you let your dog pull sometimes but not others, they won’t understand what’s expected.
🚫 Not rewarding loose-leash moments. If you only correct pulling but never reward when they walk nicely, they won’t learn what behaviour you actually want.
How to Teach Loose-Leash Walking (Step-by-Step Guide)
Step 1: Get Your Dog Comfortable with Their Equipment
Before training starts, your dog should feel neutral about wearing their collar and harness—it shouldn’t automatically mean excitement or stress.
✔️ Pick up the lead and put it back down—repeat until your dog stops getting overly excited.
✔️ Clip the lead on and off without going anywhere—this teaches that the lead doesn’t always = walk.
✔️ Ensure the harness or collar fits well and your dog is comfortable wearing it before starting training.
Step 2: Build Value in Staying Close (Before Adding the Lead!)
A leash shouldn’t be what keeps your dog next to you—instead, they should want to stay close. Practise this off-leash in a safe environment before ever expecting good behaviour on the lead.
🎯 Try the "Magic Hand" game:
1️⃣ Hold treats in your hand near your hip.
2️⃣ When your dog naturally stays close, drop a treat from your hand.
3️⃣ Repeat, reinforcing that staying near you = rewards.
🎯 Walk in random patterns:
1️⃣ Move around in different directions in a fenced area.
2️⃣ Reward your dog whenever they stay close to you.
3️⃣ This makes being near you more rewarding than running off.
Once your dog sees you as the most valuable thing in their environment, loose-lead walking becomes much easier.
Step 3: Teach Lead Pressure = Give In, Not Pull
Dogs instinctively push against pressure (opposition reflex), so teaching them to yield to leash pressure is key.
1️⃣ In a quiet space, apply gentle pressure on the lead.
2️⃣ The moment your dog steps toward the pressure instead of pulling away, reward them.
3️⃣ Repeat until they automatically follow the lead pressure instead of resisting.
Step 4: Monitor Your Dog’s Stress Bucket & Know When to End the Walk
🐕 If your dog stops taking treats, this is a big sign that their stress bucket is filling up.
🐕 If they start pulling crazily, it’s usually a sign that they’re overwhelmed. Instead of continuing to push through a bad walk, end the walk as quickly as possible and focus on calmness.
🐕 Training a dog is not linear—some things will work one day and not the next. That’s okay! Reflect on what went wrong and adjust next time.
🐕 Break the walk into segments—work on each part, from putting the lead on to walking calmly out the door, rather than rushing to get somewhere.
Have Fun! Know the Purpose of Your Walk
At the end of the day, walks should be enjoyable for both you and your dog. Be clear on the purpose of the walk—is it meant to be a structured training session or an enrichment walk where your dog gets to explore and sniff the world?
🐾 Let your dog be a dog! Sniffing, investigating, and taking in their surroundings is mentally enriching and just as important as physical exercise. If your walk is purely about getting your dog from point A to point B as fast as possible, you might be missing the point.
🐾 Adjust expectations based on the type of walk. If you’re doing a structured training walk, you might want your dog to stay closer and focus on you. But if it’s an exploration walk, letting them lead the way a little (while still being under control) is totally fine!
🐾 Rules can be different for different dogs. Some owners are happy with their dogs walking out in front, others prefer their dogs walking beside them—either is okay as long as they’re not dragging you around and the walk is safe and enjoyable. There’s no one-size-fits-all rule for where a dog should walk—what matters is that both of you are comfortable and communicating well.
🐾 Running vs. Walking: If your goal is your own exercise, but your dog wants to sniff and take their time, it might not be the best fit. A structured run with your dog requires training and building their stamina—so if your dog isn’t into it yet, maybe leave them at home and do your own workout first!
🐾 Don’t be that person! Walks should be something your dog enjoys, not a constant battle of restrictions and rules. If your dog is out of control, it’s a sign that communication needs work—not that they’re being “naughty” or defiant. Training takes time, and the more you focus on understanding each other, the smoother your walks will become.
Final Thoughts
Leash pulling is one of the most common training struggles, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. Teaching your dog that you are more valuable than their environment and using consistent training techniques will help you enjoy calm, stress-free walks together.
A well-balanced walk is one where both you and your dog get what you need—whether that’s exercise, mental enrichment, bonding time, or all of the above. Keep things fair, fun, and rewarding, and walking together will become something you both look forward to!
Remember: Build value in staying close, reward loose-leash moments, and make walking fun for both you and your dog!
Thanks for reading! I hope you found this post helpful. Don’t forget to throw your dog a treat from all of us 🐶
Deb & the Busy Pawz Crew
P.S. Struggling with leash pulling? You’re not alone!
I offer personalised training and support to help you and your dog enjoy stress-free, enjoyable walks—without the frustration.
👉 👉 Check out our training sessions or send me a message—I’d love to help!
And if you found this helpful, share it with a fellow dog lover who might need a little extra support. 💕
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