How To Teach A Dog To Walk On-Leash

Teaching your dog to walk calmly on a leash isn’t just about convenience – it’s about safety, structure and communication. Whether you’re walking a smaller dog like a five pound lapdog, or a larger, 90lb working breed, leash manners play a crucial role in building a healthy relationship between you and your dog.

There are multiple ways to teach loose-leash walking. In this post, we’ll explore two common and effective methods:

Positive-Only leash training
Leash training using a prong collar

Neither approach is “better” by default – the method should be determined by the dog’s temperament, drive and behavior, not human preference. We’ll also look at how understanding canine drives helps reinforce a follower mindset – a key role to a successful walk with your dog.

Why loose-leash walking is about more than pulling

Most dogs don’t pull to be defiant – they pull because they’re moving in a different drive state. Dogs operate on a spectrum of instinctual drives, including;

Food Drive: motivated by treats or meals
Pack Drive: the desire to stay near and follow their group
Prey Drive: the instinct to chase movement
Defense Drive: protective or reactive responses to perceived threats

Loose-leash walking taps into pack drive, where the dog chooses to follow rather than lead. A dog walking calmly next to you is demonstrating trust, leadership and self-control.

If a dog is charging ahead, reacting to stimuli, or ignoring the handler, it’s often operating in prey or defense drive. The goal of leash training is to teach the dog to return to pack drive and remain connected to the handler – regardless of distractions.

Method #1: Positive-only leash training

Positive-Only training uses rewards (usually food, praise or affection) to reinforce desirable behavior. It’s rooted in the belief that dogs will continue behaviors that earn them something they want.

What you’ll need:

Flat collar
High value treats
4-6ft leash
Patience, timing and consistency

Step-by-step method

Begin in a Low Distraction Area. Start indoors or in your backyard where your dog is calm and focused.
Mark and Reward the Sweet Spot. When your dog is beside you, mark it with a word like “Good” or a click and then immediately reward. This will teach them the value of staying near you.
Stop When They Pull. If the leash goes tight, stop walking. Wait for your dog to return to your side and back in the sweet spot with no tension on the leash, then reward and continue walking.
Add Movement. Start changing directions, make sudden stops or pivot to encourage focus. Remember to reward calm engagement and responsiveness.
Slowly Increase Difficulty. When your dog is consistently in the sweet spot in easy environments, start to transition to busier areas following all of the same principles.

Why it works

Builds trust and engagement
Encourages your dog to voluntarily stay near you
Great option for food motivated, sensitive or young dogs

Method #2: Leash training using a prong collar

The prong collar is a communication tool – not a punishment device – that is designed to mimic the natural way dogs correct each other through pressure around the neck. When used properly, it allows for clear, humane and immediate feedback, especially in high-stimulation environments.

Dogs don’t respond to long conversations and verbal cues the way humans do. They respond to body language, spatial pressure, timing and touch-based feedback. The prong collar speaks their language by replicating the feeling of a mother’s corrective bite, which helps to shift the dog’s mindset without escalating force.

What you’ll need

Properly fitted prong collar (Herm Sprenger)
Back-Up safety tab that connects prong to flat collar
4-6ft (non-retractable) leash

Step-by-step method

Calm Introduction. Allow your dog to sniff, see the collar and receive reward before applying. Avoid pairing the collar with excitement, frustration or chaos.
Walk with Purpose. Begin walking with a calm, confident pace. If your dog forges ahead, gentle pressure from the collar will remind them to check in.
Disrupt Triggered Drive States. If your dog is suddenly fixated, say on a squirrel or reacting to a dog across the street, they have most likely shifted into either prey or defense drive. A well-timed correction can snap the dog back into pack drive and re-establish you as leader and restore their focus.
Reinforce Calm Behavior. When your dog returns to the sweet spot (on your side) reward with food, praise or affection – not conflict.
Be Consistent and Fair. This tool works best when paired with steady reinforcement and not frustration.

Why it works

Clearly communicates through natural canine signals
Provides structure and safety for all sizes and breeds
Helps to re-engage the dog during intense distractions or drive surges

So, which method is best?

That depends entirely on the dog in front of you.

Some dogs thrive on food motivation and marker training alone. Others – especially those with strong drives, working-line genetics, or high reactivity – require clear, consistent feedback to shift back into the follower mindset.

The right method is the one that helps the dog succeed without creating confusion or conflict.

For some, that means shaping calm behavior through food and repetition. For others, it means using a prong collar to establish leash boundaries and reinforce those behaviors with praise.

Often, the most effective plan combines the best of both worlds – tools for clarity, rewards for motivation and leadership for direction.

Final thoughts - let the dog decide!

This isn’t about trainer ego or philosophical purity. It’s about results, fairness and building a respectful relationship between you and your dog.

Let the dog determine what works. Positive-only methods might be perfect for a calm, focused dog – regardless of size. And while a prong collar is often associated with larger, more powerful breeds, the reality is, even a 5lb lap dog could benefit from structured communication if they’re pushy, reactive, or easily overstimulated. Likewise, many 90lb dogs could thrive while using food-based positive reinforcement alone, especially if their drives and thresholds are low.

The job of a good trainer or owner isn’t to pick a side – it’s to observe, adapt and guide. Training isn’t one size fits all, but instead a process of communication and not force or coercion.

And here is the real reward: a dog that walks calmly on a loose leash earns more freedom!

They get to go more places, experience more of life and truly become the companion you can include in your day-to-day world. Whether it’s a coffee shop, trail or stroll through the neighborhood, leash skills unlock so many opportunities for shared experiences. That’s where the bond is strengthened – not just through obedience, but trust and dependability.

Train with clarity, compassion and fairness.

Always train with your dog’s success in mind.