How to Stop a Dog From Pulling on Its Leash

Change Your Habits

1). Begin your training session in a calm manner. If your dog becomes excited at the sight of its leash, wait until the dog is calm and compliant before departing. Allowing the dog to jump or bark in excitement may negatively impact your training session.
2). Instruct your dog to sit next to you on the street or sidewalk. When you are ready, begin walking and encourage your dog to walk beside you by gently pulling on its leash. The instant that your dog begins to pull its leash, stop immediately, say "No!" (or give another verbal command of your choice) and gently pull on the leash until the dog is beside you again.
3). Start walking again only after your dog has stopped pulling on the leash. Continue to repeat step two until you have taken several steps without the dog pulling its leash. At that point, verbally praise your dog and (optionally) give a treat to reinforce the desired behavior.
4). Continue this process (stop when the dog pulls, praise it after desired behavior) at larger and larger intervals of time. Eventually, the dog should learn that freedom and reward come with proper leash behavior.

1). Choose a type of harness or collar that helps reduce pulling, rather than encouraging it as with a standard body harness. Two recommended collar types that address pulling issues are the head collar and the front-clip harness.
2). Introduce the new equipment to your dog slowly. Let it sniff the collar or harness and become familiar with it before putting it on your dog. Before ever attempting to walk with the new equipment, allow your dog to get used to wearing the new collar indoors or in your yard.
3). Begin your training session by following the steps outlined previously. Command your dog to sit beside you until you are ready to begin walking. Stop walking and gently pull the dog back to you when your dog pulls its leash.
4). Take extreme caution when pulling a new harness or collar until you get to know your dog's tolerance for the effects. Continue to patiently work with your dog until you achieve the desired results. Using a new type of collar or harness can greatly speed the process, but you must still practice with your dog until it learns proper leash behavior.