20/05/2026
First skill to teach for a loose-lead walk 👏
Before we worry about “heel” positions or walking perfectly beside us, puppies need to understand one simple concept:
➡️ Pressure on the lead does not make the walk continue.
In this exercise, Oslo learns that when he hits the end of the lead, pulling forward gets him nowhere. The moment he chooses to release the tension and re-engage with me, I mark “yes”, reward, and we gravitate backward to deliver his treat
At first, the reward is food, but in real life the “reward” is often:• a smell• a person• another dog• or simply moving forward and getting to sniff
We want the dog to learn that keeping the lead loose is what makes good things happen
This exercise helps:
✔️ Prevent frustration building on the lead
✔️ Create an alternative to barking/lunging
✔️ Build engagement with the handler
✔️ Teach the dog to problem solve calmly instead of pulling harder
✔️ Lay the foundation for loose-lead walking and eventually a heel position
I also use this as an engagement exercise at the start of walks to get the dog mentally in tune before we move through distractions
Eventually instead of paying for taking tension off the reward becomes access to the environment itself. Loose lead = freedom to move forward
Simple and incredibly important foundation work for loose-lead walking
