Loose Lead Walking

Overview

Package of 4 1:1s classes for dogs that struggle to walk on a loose lead, held at our specially made classroom in Cirencester

Dogs aren’t born knowing how to walk on a loose lead, often this can be a real struggle to teach. This is because dogs pull on the lead for a variety of reasons, this can be through frustration, excitement, because it works (i.e. if I pull I get to the interesting sniff) and even pain and fear.

This loose lead skills course gives you and your dog the skills needed to progress with loose lead walking at home and out and about. Some dogs I see only need one session to get their loose lead work going, however there are a lot of dogs that need a much more step by step action plan. These dogs tend to be the dogs that struggle to take food out on a walk, become very focussed on the environment and where owners find it tricky to even get their attention let alone walk on a loose lead. This is not a failure on anyone’s part but a reflection on how difficult the dog finds the environment. Often we need to take a bottom up approach to training where we build skills from a basic level up rather than top down.

We start by history taking, establishing what your dog’s normal routine is, where problems may be arising and assessing walking equipment. We then progress through a series of attention, teamwork, body awareness and engagement activities as this forms the basis of loose lead walking, without these training won’t be successful. We will also cover leaving the house calmly as this is where loose lead walking starts. We have several different loose lead walking techniques that we then trial to see what suits best, these are practiced indoors in a safe predictable environment before we progress these to outdoors over subsequent sessions.

Homework is given after each session to ensure this training translates into the ‘real world’ once home. Please note that this course is designed to give you and your dog the skills to progress at home, loose lead walking isn’t often something that comes immediately, it takes time and patience. We need to meet the dog where they currently are, so sometimes more background work is needed e.g. helping them cope with certain distractions.

Full notes are provided detailing the exercises/activities, extra reading and homework.

Walking equipment wise, due to the findings of ongoing research, if your dog is pulling I recommend a well fitting ‘Y’ shaped harness for safety to protect their neck and other vital structures. I do not recommend the use of slip leads, tightening collars or equipment that is designed to cause pain and discomfort to stop pulling.

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Session outlines:

Session 1 – Indoor session

• History taking (looking at underlying reasons for pulling on the lead, distractions your dog struggles with etc)
• Equipment assessment – reaction to equipment being put on
• Motivations – toys / types of food etc that we can use in training
• Leaving the house calmly
• Introducing a marker cue
• Series of body awareness, attention, engagement and team building exercises
• Introducing loose lead walking position
• Homework given

Session 2 – Indoor session progressing to outdoors by our classroom (dog dependent)

• Series of body awareness exercises
• Coming into lead pressure rather than pulling against it – stroking the lead concept
• Coming away from distractions – ‘go sniff’ and ‘this way’ cue
• Loose lead walking concept plus ‘steady’ cue
• Counting game
• Session 1 attention and engagement activities outside if we can
• Homework given

Session 3 – Indoor session progressing to outdoors by our classroom (dog dependent)

• Body awareness exercises if required
• ‘This way’ past set up distractions
• Week 1 & 2 engagement games outside
• Practicing loose lead position and loose lead walking concept outside
• Homework given

Session 4 – Outdoors by our classroom

• Using what we’ve practiced over the sessions to walk on a loose lead outdoors past set up and real distractions.

​Who is this course for?

These sessions are suitable for dogs 6 months old and over

How much is the course?

£160 for the 4 1:1 sessions

I recommend booking sessions 2 weeks apart to give you time to practice

Where are the classes?

Our specially made classroom (please note this is up a flight of stairs) is located inside Apollo Commercial Interiors building, next door to Ride 24/7 and opposite Buildbase:

Unit C, Apollo Court, Love Lane Industrial Estate, Cirencester.