Leash walking
How do I stop my dog pulling toward people on walks?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Reward your dog for noticing a person and looking back at you before it has a chance to pull toward them, a technique sometimes called the engage and disengage game. Practice at a distance where your dog can still take treats calmly, often 8 to 10 metres away from strangers at first, and shorten that distance gradually over several weeks as your dog succeeds.
Working at the right distance
If your dog is already straining and cannot focus on you near a person, you are too close for training to work in that moment. Back up until your dog can glance at the person and then look at you calmly, then reward that look heavily before it turns into a pull.
Teaching your dog a default behavior
Practicing a sit or a hand touch cue around calm, predictable people, like a neighbor who agrees to help, builds an alternative behavior your dog can do instead of pulling. Rehearsing this 5 to 6 times a week for a couple of weeks turns it into a reliable default.
Managing enthusiastic greeters
Some dogs pull toward people purely out of friendliness rather than fear, which still needs management since not everyone wants a dog jumping up. Asking strangers to wait until your dog is sitting calmly before any greeting teaches your dog that calm behavior, not pulling, gets the attention it wants.
Key takeaways
- Work at a distance where your dog can still respond to you, then shrink that distance gradually.
- Reward your dog for looking at you after noticing a person, before any pulling starts.
- Practice an alternative behavior like sit or hand touch with a cooperative person a few times a week.
- Ask people to wait for a calm sit before greeting an enthusiastic, friendly puller.