The Modern Guide to Loose Lead Walking
Walks you both enjoy, without the pulling
Lead pulling is one of the most common things families ask me for help with. It makes walks tiring, it can hurt your arm and shoulder, and it can be dangerous near roads. Lots of families end up walking less because of it. It doesn't have to be that way, because walking on a loose lead is a skill any dog can learn with the right plan.
This guide explains why dogs pull, then takes you step by step from the right kit and a calm start, through games at home, to first steps outside and walking past other dogs, people, wildlife and traffic. It has help for puppies, teenagers, big strong dogs, sniffers, worried dogs and rescues, and shows you how to fit training into real life with two kinds of walk.
I've been training dogs for over 30 years, and I wrote this the way I'd explain it if we were sat at your kitchen table together.
What's inside
A "What's going wrong?" finder for the ten lead walking problems families bring me most
Why dogs pull: pulling works, different speeds, the push-back reflex, excitement and worry
The right kit: harnesses, fitting, leads, head collars, and the kit to avoid
A calm start: the lead, the front door and the first few minutes outside
Foundations at home: the reward zone, follow the leader, turns and stops
First steps outside: stop and wait, change direction and rewarding the slack
Rewards on the move: food, sniffing, life rewards and play
Walking past other dogs, people, wildlife, food and traffic, and the U-turn
Help for puppies, teenagers, big strong dogs, sniffers, worried dogs and rescues
Real-life walks: two kinds of walk, crossing roads, busy streets and walking with children
Troubleshooting lead biting, zigzagging, stopping, lunging and setbacks
Pages to print and keep
A walking level tracker and a list of your dog's rewards
A walk log
A kit and calm start checklist to keep by the door
A quick-reference page with the rules
Why this guide is different
It starts before the walk, with a calm start that makes everything else easier
It uses sniffing and life rewards, so your dog learns a loose lead gets them what they want
It never uses yanking, chain or prong collars, or shouting
It's realistic about busy lives, with two kinds of walk so training fits your week
It's built on games plus structure, with reward-based training and no punishment
Who it's for
Families with a puppy, a teenage dog, a big strong adult dog or a rescue who pulls on the lead. It works for any breed, from small dogs to giants.
What you get
A 61-page PDF and an EPUB in one ZIP file, emailed to you straight after checkout. Read it on your phone, tablet, e-reader or computer, and print the pages at the back.
