Short answer
Dogs pull because pulling gets them where they want to go, so it is continually rewarded. The fix is to stop moving forward whenever the leash goes tight, applied consistently on every walk.
It is not dominance and it is not stubbornness. Your dog pulls because pulling works. Every time the leash goes tight and you keep walking, you have just paid for pulling.
Dogs also simply walk faster than we do. Their natural pace is quicker, and the world smells interesting in a direction that is usually ahead.
The method
- Stop the instant the leash tightens. Not a correction, not a word. Just stop.
- Wait. Your dog will eventually ease the tension or look back at you.
- Walk on the moment the leash slackens. Moving forward is the reward, and it now only follows a loose leash.
- Repeat. Your first few walks will be extremely slow. That is the method working, not failing.
Equipment that helps
- Front-clip harness. Redirects forward momentum sideways. The single most useful piece of kit for a strong puller.
- A fixed-length lead, 4–6 ft. Retractable leads teach that tension extends the leash, which is exactly the opposite lesson.
- Avoid choke and prong collars. They suppress the behaviour through discomfort without addressing why it is being rewarded.
Give them a sniffing walk too
A lot of pulling is frustration at never being allowed to investigate anything — which is what a decompression walk is for. Designate part of the walk as their time — loose lead, they choose the direction, sniffing encouraged. A dog that gets that is markedly easier during the structured part, and scent work tires them out faster than distance does.
