My dog pulls on leash. How do I teach her to walk beside me?

Question

How can I teach her to walk by my side withou going infront or sniffing around me? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | unspayed | 8 months and 23 days old | 55 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

The easiest way to teach this for most dogs is by carrying treats with you on your walk. Reward Ireliq frequently with treats for staying beside you and paying attention. If she gets distracted and starts to pull on the leash, simply stop walking and wait until she looks back at you - then praise and reward, and start walking again. Eventually, if you are consistent about this, she will learn that staying beside you means that she gets lots of treats and the walk continues, while pulling causes the walk to stop. It takes most dogs quite a while to really get the hang of this, as it's a complicated behavior and there are lots of distractions outside that make things harder - so be patient with her while she learns :)

My dog pulls on leash. How do I teach her to walk beside me?

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