Teaching a puppy to walk nicely on a lead takes time and patience. Walking on a lead is one of the hardest things for a young dog to learn, because puppies start life with very little impulse control. Off lead, they can run where they want, sniff where they want and pee when they want. But on lead, they have to resist all of those urges.
Just being on the lead requires impulse control—and that’s mental work. And just like solving puzzles is tiring for us, mental work is tiring for dogs.
Some owners expect their puppies to walk perfectly at their side, on a loose lead, staring up at them the whole way. But imagine this: you’re on a road trip with your best friend in the front seat. Your best friend says, “Don’t sing along to the music. Don’t look out the window. Don’t move in your seat. Only speak when spoken to.” That would make for a miserable trip—and that’s what it’s like for a dog if you expect them to walk staring up at you the entire time.
Dogs need to move naturally, take in smells, and interact with their environment. It’s how they’re wired. Constant neck-craning to look at us isn’t just unfair, it can also be physically uncomfortable.
And remember: most dogs only get out of the house once a day. Think back to COVID lockdowns, when we could only go out once daily. Even with TV, phones, and the internet, many of us went stir-crazy. Dogs don’t have those outlets. Without walks, they’re likely to find their own “jobs”: barking, chewing furniture, or digging where they shouldn’t.
Three Tips for Loose Leash Training
- Keep sessions short – Five to ten minutes of concentration is plenty for a young puppy; stop before they lose focus.
- Reward calm steps – Mark and reward when the lead is slack, even for a second. Small wins add up.
- Mix in sniff breaks – Build pauses into the walk to let your dog explore. It balances structure with enrichment.
Walking your dog isn’t just good for their health, it’s essential for their mental wellbeing. Tempering our expectations to meet our dogs where they are at is crucial to having an enjoyable outing with your dog. A balanced, enriching walk means a calmer dog, a calmer home, and a happier life for everyone.
And remember, the most likely time that your dog is going to walk loosely on the lead is in the last 5 minutes of your walk.