How Your Trainer Ruined Your Walks

Prerequisite

None. If you’re walking your dog and he/she pulls, you need to be practicing this.

Tools

Clicker
Treat pouch
Delicious Treats

Training Environment

Your regular walks anywhere you go.

Recommended Treat Position

Wherever you want your dog to end up. Make them get into position when they take the treat.

If you want your dog on the left, treat at your dog’s eye level near the seam of your pants on your left hand side.
If you want your dog to walk on your right, treat at the dog’s eye level near the seam of your pants on your right side.

Steps

Begin your walk.
If your dog tightens the lead, immediately say “Let’s Go!” and gently turn the other direction. Please try very hard not to jerk your dog.
When your dog comes up into the position where you want him to walk, click and treat.
Your dog is probably going to start pulling again. When he/she does, repeat this as needed.
Expect to look like a pinball until your dog gets more training. That’s ok. We just want to make sure your dog isn’t practicing and getting paid for the behavior we don’t want.

Homework

Practice this every time you walk your dog unless you are trying to get to the toileting area and your dog really needs to go. We don’t want to cause him/her to have an accident. Any other time, turn around when your dog pulls.

At the End of This Step

Your dog should gradually quit pulling on the leash. He will find that it doesn’t work. He should be learning through your other exercises what does work, so he will figure out that he needs to stay next to you and walk nicely.