What a walk looks like with the lead off

What you’re watching

Hugo is my own German Shepherd. He’s off the lead here in an open field. He stays at my leg through turns and changes of pace, drops into a down when I ask him from across the grass, and comes back in when I call.

There’s no trick to it. He’s just learned that keeping an eye on me is worth his while.

Why it matters more than it looks

Owners who ring me about pulling usually describe the same walk. They get towed along for forty minutes and come home with a sore shoulder, and the dog hasn’t looked back at them once.

The lead is rarely the real problem. A dog that pulls has learned that you follow him, so he picks the route and the speed, and the lead is the only thing slowing him down. Take it off a dog like that and he’ll be gone.

Heel work changes that. Once the dog is keeping track of you, the lead is only there because the law says it has to be.

What this looks like for your dog

Your dog won’t look like Hugo after one session. Hugo’s had years of my time and he was bred for this kind of work.

The first stage is well within reach, though. That’s a dog that walks on a slack lead, looks back at you without being asked, and stops when you stop. Most dogs get there quicker than their owners think, and everything after that builds on it.