Loose Leash Walking Foundations

Watch the demonstration

The goal

The space beside your leg is a reinforcement zone. Build a strong history of rewards there so your dog chooses to stay with you as you move. The video shows two stages: building value in that position, then teaching your dog to follow a change of direction.

1. Build your reinforcement zones

1. Start somewhere familiar and quiet. Choose a side to begin with.
2. Guide your dog beside you. Use a food lure or nose target, stepping your leg back as demonstrated. Your dog should face the same direction as you.
3. Reward in position. Feed beside your leg, rather than out in front. For this foundation stage, reinforce quietly without YES or GOOD.
4. Add a little movement. Take a few steps and reward while your dog stays beside you. Gradually add more movement and turns. If they swing across your front, reset the position before continuing.
5. Release with FREE. End each short stretch clearly so your dog knows when they can leave the position.

Build value on both sides over time. Reward placement matters: feed where you want your dog to be.

2. Introduce LET’S GO

LET’S GO tells your dog you are changing direction and they need to move with you. In the second stage of the video, staying with you predicts rewards; failing to follow can bring lead pressure.

1. Say LET’S GO before changing direction and before any lead pressure. Give your dog the opportunity to follow and avoid that pressure.
2. Change direction as demonstrated. If your dog encounters pressure, they learn to escape it by moving with you. Follow the lead handling taught in your session.
3. Wait before rewarding the return. Once your dog is back beside you, let them stay with you briefly before rewarding that continued behaviour.

Avoid the pull–return–reward loop. Rewarding immediately on arrival can teach your dog to surge ahead, get brought back and collect a treat. Avoid ping-ponging them back and forth or deliberately setting them up to make a mistake. Use naturally occurring opportunities and then resume reinforcing staying with you.

WITH ME and FREE

WITH ME names walking and staying with you. Introduce it once your dog is offering that behaviour reliably: “only name it once you love it.”

FREE ends the walking exercise and lets your dog leave the position. It does not mean permission to pull on the lead.

The video uses YES later in the walking exercise, after a delay and once the desired behaviour is re-established. Keep the initial reinforcement-zone practice quiet; do not make an immediate return the thing that earns the reward.

Build towards everyday walks

Practise for 3–5 minutes before a walk, beginning in a quiet, familiar space. Build a well-rehearsed pattern there before gradually increasing distractions.

Practise without food visibly on show, too. The video demonstrates putting the treat pouch at a reward station and keeping a few rewards hidden in a pocket. Rewards are still available even when your dog cannot see them.

Keep sessions short, reward the position you want and use FREE to finish. A history of pulling takes practice to change.

Supporting resources

Our Markers handout · Loading a Marker handout