Leash Management, Redux

In my opinion, leash management is the number one area in which all puppy raisers can improve. It’s also probably the hardest technique to master. I wrote the following blog post on leash management over a year ago and I think it’s worth revisiting, especially now that more of the dogs are remaining intact until IFT. Some people think that using proper leash techniques isn’t important until the dog is on a slip collar. Not true! You should use the same technique (described below) with any age pup in any type of collar. Perfecting your leash techniques when the dog is young, while you still have the strength advantage, will pay off tenfold when the dog is an unneutered, 80 pound ball of muscle.

So once again, here are some thoughts on leash management:

If you’ve been anywhere near one of my obedience classes, you’ve undoubtedly heard me talk about leash management. I’m a big promoter/enforcer of proper leash management, because I feel it is so important in training dogs to think, make good choices and exercise self-control.

So what do I mean by “leash management?” By that I mean that the handler holds the leash in the proper position and uses the leash to give proper and effective corrections. Proper leash position means the dog is on a loose leash and collar 99% of the time. When the dog is at your left side, your left arm should hang down naturally and you should hold the leash so that there is just enough slack to let the collar hang loosely. There should be a slight dip in the leash, so the leash forms a letter “J”. You don’t want so much slack that the dog has 2 feet of leash with which to get into trouble. Neither do you want the leash constantly taut with the collar pulled tight. In this case, you are no longer training the dog, you are merely restraining him. He’s not learning a single thing, except how to pull harder and ignore you.

When giving a correction, the leash should move in a snapping or popping motion, almost like you are trying to (gently!) crack a whip. You quickly pull the leash back to tighten the collar and just as quickly relax your arm to let the collar loosen again. The entire collar correction, where the collar is actually tight around the dog’s neck should last only a second or two. Pulling the collar tight and holding it there is not a collar correction, it is restraint and you can say the rest now by heart right? “Train your dog, don’t restrain him.” You should make this snapping motion even if the pup is on a flat collar or martingale. If you have trouble mastering the “pop”, or aren’t sure if you are doing it correctly, ask your area coordinator for help.

Of course, there’s an exception to the rule (isn’t there always?) The one time there should be constant tension on the leash is during a forward walk. Guide dogs need to pull out slightly in harness. They need to forge ahead of the handler somewhat in order to guide effectively. On a forward walk, we want the dog slightly ahead of you, pulling slightly on the leash. If you force the dog (by correcting him) to walk next to you on a loose leash during a forward walk, then it is going to be much more difficult for the trainers to get him to pull out in a harness. The dog should not be pulling so hard that your left arm is parallel with the ground and you’re skiing down the sidewalk. Just a slight tension in the leash is good.

One more thing about leash management: it’s important to consider who is holding the leash, too. The handler needs to be capable, knowledgeable and consistent. Does the handler know and understand our protocols? Can the handler effectively issue commands, praise the dog, and correct the dog as needed? Is the handler strong enough to control the dog – keeping the handler and the general public safe? These requirements are one reason we don’t allow any unrelated children under 16 to handle our dogs. This also rules out adults who aren’t familiar with our protocols and have no desire to learn them.

While it’s great to socialize our dogs to all kinds of people, it can be detrimental to the puppy’s training to allow just anyone to handle the puppy on leash. Think about it. You’ve worked for days trying to stop the puppy from lunging at squirrels. You’ve finally got him relatively under control! Then you let your officemate/sister/neighbor/whoever take the dog out, where they promptly let the pup lunge and pull and generally carry on when a squirrel runs by. At best, you’ve got to completely start over on the squirrel issue. At worst, your 10 month old, 70 pound unneutered male has injured someone by yanking them off their feet.

A good guide dog not only complies with commands, he must also think, make good choices and exhibit self-control. Puppy raisers are the pups’ first teachers and proper leash management will help puppies learn these lessons easily. You hold the key (and the leash) in your hands.