Loose-leash training for everyday walks

A free book example · Situation 12

First, decide what a loose leash looks like

A dog being close and a leash being loose are not always the same thing. Situation 12, “What slack actually looks like”, makes the target visible to everyone holding the leash.

Same words · Book excerpt

"Nice" - marker, the sound that means the food is coming

Do this · Book excerpts

1. Watch the leash rather than the dog and name what you see.

2. Set the rule out loud: a curve in the line earns something.

3. Pay the curve wherever he stands, including behind your heel.

4. Say Nice at the moment the tension drops, not a second afterward.

Avoid this · Book excerpt

“Paying him for being close while the line is still tight.”

When to ask for help · Book excerpt

Get a trainer out if you cannot buy a curve at all, even on an empty street with food in your hand.

Here “Nice” marks a moment and predicts food; it is not a command to pull the dog into position. These selected lines define the target. The linked guide shows the next steps for marking, turning and resetting, with their limits.