Five tricks to get your dog to stop pulling their leash

The bad news first: there are no tricks!

The good news: Loose lead walking IS possible, it just takes time and patience.

"Trick One" - heavily reinforce your dog's position at your side. Use your Marker word when your dog is beside you, Mark & Treat. Do this on and off lead.

"Trick Two" - Aim to cover a shorter distance, be patient, and don't move if your dog is putting pressure on the lead.

"Trick Three" - Frequently change directions, especially when your dog reaches the end of the lead. Make happy "pup pup" noises to keep your dog engaged and paying attention to you.

"Trick Four" - practice your loose lead walking without the lead, in your yard, without distractions. Keep your practice sessions short, 2 or 3 minutes.

"Trick Five" - Use a front attaching harness (see below) e.g. Balance harness that attaches at the back and the front, or a halti. Beware, haltis can feel very aversive to dogs so ensure you desensitise your dog to it first. Then, follow the first 4 tricks to work on your LLW so the dog gradually learns to walk nicely without the halti.

"Trick Six" - Yep, this one's a freebie. Build your dog up for success- manage your walks. Avoid distractions as much as possible, to do this you'll need to be very alert. See a dog coming in the other direction that will excite your dog? Then quickly reverse directions so your dog doesn't start bouncing around at the end of the lead.