How to Stop a Dog Pulling on the Leash (Training + Gear Guide)
Dog LoveHow to stop a dog pulling on the lead, step by step
Pulling is one of the most common things owners tell us about at the salon counter, and one of the most fixable. It is not stubbornness. Your dog pulls because pulling works. This guide is the method: what to do before you leave the house, the six stages of loose lead training, and exactly what to do the moment the lead goes tight.
Make pulling pointless and walking beside you worth it
Stop every time the lead goes tight. Move again the moment it goes slack. Reward your dog often, right by your leg, for being there. Start somewhere boring, add distractions slowly, and use a front clip harness so the pulling you cannot prevent does not hurt the throat or pay off. Most dogs improve noticeably within a few weeks if every walk follows the same rules.
In this guide
Your dog pulls because, so far, it has worked
Every time a dog leans into the lead and gets closer to the smell, the dog or the park, pulling is rewarded. Do that a few hundred times and it becomes how walks work.
- Dogs walk faster than we do.A comfortable trot for most dogs is well ahead of human walking pace. Walking beside us is a skill they have to learn, not something they do naturally.
- The world is exciting.The first ten minutes of a walk are the hardest for almost every dog. Energy is high and everything smells new.
- Pressure invites pushing back.When a lead pulls on a dog, many dogs lean the other way. A tight lead can create more pulling, not less.
- Nobody told them the rules.If pulling sometimes gets them there and sometimes does not, the inconsistency makes the habit stronger, like a slot machine that pays out now and then.
Set the walk up to succeed before you open the front door
Most failed training sessions are lost before they begin. Five small things make a big difference.
- Pick treats your dog will work for.Small, soft and tasty: chicken, cheese or a good training treat cut to pea size. Dry biscuits rarely compete with a smell on a fence post.
- Train a little hungry.Practise before a meal rather than straight after, and take some of the day's food allowance out of the bowl to use on walks.
- Burn some energy first.Five minutes of fetch in the yard takes the edge off and makes the first part of the walk far easier.
- Choose the right harness.A front clip harness, fitted properly, means the pulling that still happens turns your dog toward you rather than straining the throat. RSPCA SA recommends a front attaching harness for exactly this.
- Use a plain lead about two metres long.Not an extendable lead. A retractable lead rewards pulling with more lead, which is the opposite of what you are teaching.
Six stages of loose lead training, from the lounge room to the street
Move to the next stage only when your dog finds the current one easy. If a stage falls apart, go back one and slow down.
- Stage one: the reward spot.At home, with no lead, reward your dog every time they stand or sit beside your left or right leg. Pick one side and stay with it. Deliver the treat right at your leg, not out in front, so the best place to be is next to you.
- Stage two: moving together.Still indoors and off lead, take a step or two and reward when your dog moves with you and stays at your side. Build up to ten or fifteen steps between treats. Change direction now and then so they keep an eye on you.
- Stage three: add the lead.Clip the lead on and repeat stage two. The lead should hang in a loose smile shape. Nothing about the lead should be doing the work yet.
- Stage four: the backyard.Same game, a few more smells. Keep sessions to five or ten minutes and stop while your dog is still getting it right.
- Stage five: a quiet street.Take the game outside at a quiet time. Expect to go backwards a little and reward more often than you did at home. A walk that covers fifty metres in ten minutes is a good session.
- Stage six: real walks.Add busier routes, other dogs at a distance and longer walks. Slowly stretch the gap between rewards, then swap some treats for praise and the chance to go and sniff.
What to do the moment the lead goes tight
This is where the habit is made or broken. Pick one of these responses and use it every single time.
Stop and wait
Stand still and quiet. Do not pull back, do not talk. The second the lead goes slack, because your dog turns, steps back or simply relaxes, say "yes" and walk on. Tight means stop, loose means go. It is slow at first, then suddenly it clicks.
Turn and go
For dogs who will happily wait all day, calmly turn and walk a few steps the other way. When your dog catches up and is beside you, reward and turn back. Pulling toward something now takes them further from it.
- Never jerk the lead.It hurts, it frightens sensitive dogs, and it teaches nothing about where to be.
- Do not scold.Your dog is not being naughty; they are doing what has always worked.
- Be boringly consistent.If you let it slide when you are in a hurry, the habit survives. On rushed days, a short loop around the block is better than a long walk with no rules.
The moments that undo good training, and how to handle each one
Most dogs walk nicely until something specific happens. Plan for these.
The explosive start
Ask for a sit before the door opens, and only open it when your dog is calm. If they launch, close it and try again. Walks that start calmly usually stay calmer.
Seeing another dog
Create distance first: cross the road or step onto a driveway. Reward your dog for looking at the other dog and then back at you. Getting closer comes later, over many walks.
The nose takes over
Scent hounds and spaniels pull hardest toward smells. Build in planned sniff breaks as rewards so the nose gets its turn on your terms.
Starting young
Puppies learn this fastest of all. Keep sessions to a few minutes, use tiny treats, and start loose lead games at home well before their first proper walk.
Five mistakes that keep dogs pulling
- Going too far, too soon.A long walk on a busy street is a final exam. Practise in short, easy sessions first.
- Rewarding in front of you.Treats delivered out ahead pull the dog forward. Reward at your leg.
- Inconsistent rules.Sometimes pulling works, sometimes it does not. Every person who walks the dog needs to follow the same rules.
- Relying on gear alone.A no pull harness takes away the payoff; it does not teach your dog where to walk.
- Pain based tools.Choke chains, prong collars and shock collars may stop pulling in the moment, but RSPCA SA advises against them because they cause pain and distress, and reward based methods work without that cost.
The gear that supports the training
Training does the teaching. The right harness keeps your dog safe and comfortable while they learn.
A front clip harness turns your dog back toward you when they surge, so pulling stops getting them anywhere even before the training has stuck. A harness also keeps every lunge off the windpipe, which matters most for small and flat faced breeds. If you want the detail on choosing one, our guide to the best no pull harness for strong and reactive dogs goes through it, and the front clip vs back clip guide explains when to switch rings.
The one we fit on our own dogs and our grooming clients is the DogLove Pro No Pull Dog Harness: a front ring on a padded chest plate, a back ring for when walks are calm, four adjustment points and a neck that unclips. Get the size right first with our harness fit guide.
Loose lead walking questions
How long does it take to stop a dog pulling?
Most dogs show a clear change within a few weeks of consistent practice, with short sessions most days. Older dogs with a long pulling habit can take longer. The biggest factor is consistency: every walk, every person, the same rules.
Should my dog walk on my left or right?
Either, as long as you pick one and stick with it. Rewarding on the same side every time makes it far easier for your dog to learn where you want them.
Can I train loose lead walking without treats?
Yes, using life rewards like moving forward and sniffing, but treats make it much faster at the start. You can reduce them once the habit is solid.
Is it too late to train an adult dog not to pull?
No. Adult dogs learn loose lead walking well; it just takes a little longer to undo the old habit. Short daily sessions and total consistency matter more than age.
Does a no pull harness train my dog for me?
No. It takes away the reward for pulling and protects the throat, which makes training easier, but your dog still needs to learn that the place to be is beside you.
When should I get professional help?
If pulling comes with barking, lunging or growling at dogs or people, if you cannot physically hold your dog, or if nothing has changed after a month of consistent work, see your vet to rule out pain and then a reward based trainer.