Teaching The Loose Leash Method

Ok everyone this is how I teach my dogs, and teach in my obedience classes. Also the AKC in our area teaches this method.

I have my dog bored and hungry, You want small soft treats, ( so the dog will not be busy chewing but swallowing his treat, and ready to go on to the next lesson.)

I would first teach your dog to WATCH YOU start in a chair in your living room with his training collar on and a leash attached. Have his hungry and excited about this. Show him the food, have it at your face, saying excitedly to Watch Watch! As soon as he looks at you give him a treat. If he looks away bring the treat to his face to get his attention and say Watch Watch again bringing it to your face. If he does not look say NO and give the leash a quick snap and relax the leash, and tell him to Watch Watch. I would practice this ten minutes a day. When he looks at you for a relatively long time. Have someone try and get him to look away. Again, tell Him NO and Watch Watch and give the treat. Then like everything good he does tell him GOOD WATCH GOOD WATCH and give the treat. When he is doing real good doing this I would add this command to Watch while heeling

Now with the loose leash method, if you keep the leash loose, #1. The dog will not pull on you because when you pull on him, his reaction is to pull back. #2. If the leash is tight he knows where you are, and if it is loose then he HAS to watch you to know where you are. Keep your right hand at your waist level, most people out of trying to control the dog will bring their arms up high to their faces or higher. Now have your thumb threw the leash handle and hold the leash about half way, having it drape loosely across your knees. Try and keep your left hand off of the leash except for the quick snap correction and release action of the leash, you will give to GET HIS ATTENTION this is not a punishment but a way to get him to look at you. You must let him know what you want so you will call his name in a high pitch voice, then saying heel and the same time you will step off with your left leg. This is communicating to him you are going to heel. You then talk to him, and by slapping your knee of your left leg encouraging him to come and follow you, while with treats hanging from you mouth to encourage him to follow even more. I like hot dogs sliced long ways in thin strips and or string cheese. These both work great!

Now the idea in heeling is to have your dog watching you only you, no matter what is going on around you. So if he seems bored, or is sniffing the ground, looking else where you must get his attention. Most of the time all you have to do is pick up your speed or step with him. Make lots of turns and about turns and left and right circles. This will help keep him guessing of where you are going.

know this takes weeks and some times months to master, but you need to set a goal of where you want to be, lets say in a week, two weeks, a month, and a so on and so on.

Now have your dog on a training collar be it, a choke collar, prong or a halt. I recommend a six foot leash, preferably leather it works the best on your hands.

OK have the dog on your left side, have your treats in a belly bag, or in a pocket and have it hanging from your mouth. Now if your dog is not treat happy, use a tennis ball or favorite toy. I like to have it under my chin, so they can see it. From now on this toy is used only for training and reward. You put right thumb in the loop of the leash, about half way down you grab the leash, so it will loosely drop over you legs.

Now call your dogs name in a up beat manner, get his attention on to you! Then tell him to heel! Step off with your left leg, and do a quick snap of the leash and release it, patting your leg with your left hand encouraging your dog to follow you. The millisecond he steps toward you get excited let him know he is doing good. At first you will want to use a lot of voice with the dog, later when he is doing good, and listens you can talk in a normal tone. But right now we want him to follow you, and be happy about it. Give him treats when he looks up at you and say watch! Get him to look at you nicely when he looks at you spit the food at him. Now every time you change direction call his name and tell him to heel and to watch. If you have to give the leash a snap and release, and tell him NO in a strong voice and then tell him to heel and then say watch excitedly! Keep your voice excited and happy, if your dog is not listening to you then you are boring and your need to up the attitude with your dog. Walk quickly at first, keep him thinking about where or what you are doing. Also changed your direction a lot, by right and left turns, about turns, right and left circles. And several heel, sit, heel sit exercises, this all help keep him guessing of where you are going and doing next.

Now remember every time you say NO, make sure you tell him what you want him to do. Always follow a negative with a positive, and let him know what you want, he can not read your mind. So after a NO, tell him what you Want, sit, heel, down, watch etc etc. Now when he does good and does what you want let him know he did good and say good sit, good down, good heel. Now when you come to a stop, just do not STOP! That is unfair to your dog, take a couple of little steps and then stomp on the left foot when you stop. This signals to your dog you are stopping and so he will not be a foot ahead of you when you do stop. I hope I made this clear and easy to understand. I have been using this method for the last 20 years. I have NEVER had a dog not heel in the first 15 minutes.

like this method because it uses the moms method of correction, (growling- saying no, to grabbing around the neck -the prong collar, or choke collar, by regurgitation by the mom to giving treats

Now a couple of words about working your dog.

Always finish on a good note. Never get angry, put the dog away before that happens.

Also always finish before he gets tired with the lesson ( you always want him wanting more.) A leash correction Is NOT A PUNISHMENT, it is a attention getting device.

I like to play with my dogs after a work out, throw the ball to help, relief stress and relax nerves. And I always quit before they are tired with retrieving the ball. You want them wanting more. And after that, I do the massage method with my dogs to help with the bonding process, it also relief’s stress, and teaches your dog in a not pushy way you are the Alpha still with a very pleasant reward. Well I know this was long I am sorry about that, but this is what I teach my clients and their dogs, and do myself. Good luck if you have any question please feel free to ask me!

MAY THE GOOD LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE LIKE A GSD.