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The front door opens, the lead snaps tight, and you are towed down the path to the first lamppost, one arm out in front. If that is how your walks begin, you have plenty of company. In a 2019 social media survey of 2,531 owners in the UK and Ireland, 82.7% said their dog pulled on the lead1.
If you've already been to classes, you're not alone there either. Of the dogs that pulled, 63% had been to training classes, 85.3% of which had included loose-lead exercises1. Here is why dogs pull, what harnesses and collars can and can't fix, and a step-by-step way to teach a loose lead.
Why dogs pull on the lead
Dogs Trust says the main reason dogs pull is that they've learned pulling means they move forward faster2. Even one step forward while they pull tells them it works, and each time it does, the habit grows stronger2.
Battersea adds that dogs naturally move faster than we do, the world is full of exciting smells, and they may not yet know what loose-lead walking means4. When a dog feels tension on the lead, its instinct is often to pull against it, which can make the pulling stronger4. Some pull to get away from things that worry them; others pull towards them2.
What owners in the survey believed
The survey's authors concluded that misconceptions about why dogs pull persist1. Nor is pulling down to breed: what matters most is whether a dog has been taught to walk nicely2. And older dogs that seem to grow out of it have normally slowed down because of a medical problem, Dogs Trust says2.
Why it's worth fixing kindly
Pulling is more than a nuisance. A 2022 review from the University of Edinburgh and Scotland's Rural College says that, bites aside, being pulled over on a lead is the leading cause of non-fatal dog-related injuries in the UK5. Pulling could also make walks shorter, rarer and less enjoyable5.
How you tackle it matters too. The review warns that aversive equipment can cause pain, distress and injury, and that punitive training could cause stress, fear and anxiety, and trigger aggression5. Owners in the survey favoured rewards and rated them the most successful approach, yet 33% reported pulling back on the lead1.
What the research says about harnesses and collars
In the survey, the most widely used anti-pulling kit was the back-clip harness, at 43.1%1. The research is small-scale, but a 2025 review from the University of British Columbia, which examined 21 full papers and two abstracts, finds a pattern: what a dog wears changes how hard it pulls3.
Back-clip harnesses
Harnesses spread a pull's force more widely than collars do, and have been proposed as the kinder option6. But in an Australian study of 52 shelter dogs, each clipped to a fixed point with a treat just out of reach, dogs pulled harder in a back-clip harness. The typical dog's strongest pull was 1.72 kg of force, against 0.71 kg on a collar, and it spent about two-thirds of the time pulling, against about a third6.
Signs of stress did not differ6. A second study, which tested 28 dogs on a walking circuit with food, a thrown toy and an unfamiliar dog, also found more pulling in a back-clip harness, the review reports3. That doesn't make collars safer: the Australian team do not dismiss concerns about a collar compressing the neck, especially in highly excited dogs6.
Front-clip harnesses and prong collars
Another small study walked 23 Californian shelter dogs for five minutes in each of four kinds of kit, letting each dog choose its route7. Dogs pulled significantly less in a front-clip harness than on a martingale, a collar that tightens as the dog pulls7. Every dog wore the martingale first, though, a limitation the authors acknowledge7.
Dogs pulled less on two prong-type collars than on the martingale, too7. That is no endorsement: the authors suggest dogs on the metal prong collar pulled less to ease the pressure of its prongs, and they warn against generalising to pet dogs on typical walks7. The RSPCA says prong collars are designed to cause pain or discomfort to stop a dog pulling, and that a dog that stops this way may have paid for it8.
Why kit can't do the teaching
Both teams suggest their dogs may have pulled hardest in the kit that was most comfortable to pull in: the back-clip harness in one study, the martingale in the other6, 7. The review goes further: every "no-pull" device ultimately works by making pulling uncomfortable, which is why it stresses reward-based training3. As Dogs Trust puts it: "Your dog will pull on their lead until they're taught not to"2.
Choosing kit for your dog
No single device suits every dog, the review concludes. For a dog that pulls, it suggests training plus a front-clip harness that doesn't tighten, keeping tightening harnesses, martingale collars and head collars as a last resort3. Dogs Trust likewise suggests a Y-shaped, fixed harness with front and back clips, and warns that "no pull" quick fixes often cause pain or discomfort2.
Dogs Trust says flat, fixed collars are safe and comfortable for most dogs, fitted with room for two flat fingers underneath2. But in two studies, a collar on the lead raised the pressure inside dogs' eyes and a harness did not, so the review suggests other kit for dogs that pull or have eye conditions such as glaucoma, and a harness for walking flat-faced breeds3. Harnesses have costs too: in several studies they changed how dogs walked and restricted shoulder movement3.
| Kit | What it does | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Flat collar | Carries your dog's ID tag4 | Raised eye pressure in two studies3 |
| Back-clip harness | Spreads the force of a pull6 | Dogs pulled harder than on a collar in two studies3 |
| Front-clip harness | Redirects a pulling dog, with slight discomfort3 | Train your dog to wear it first2 |
| Head collar | Can help you control a strong dog4 | Introduce it slowly4; dogs pawed at their noses in one study3 |
| Slip lead | Can tighten around the neck4 | Best avoided, says Battersea4 |
| Flexi or bungee lead | Gives extra length when your dog pulls2 | Can confuse a dog in lead training2 |
Teaching a loose lead, step by step
Keep sessions short4 and treats small but tasty: a pea-sized piece is more than enough, and chicken or cheese beats an ordinary biscuit, says Dogs Trust2.
Teaching a loose lead
- Start somewhere quietIndoors, after a short play session for a lively dog4
- Pick a side and stick to itReward by your leg, so treats don't draw your dog across your path4
- Teach a "with me" cueLet your dog sniff the treats, lift that hand to your shoulder, take a step and reward them for moving with you4
- Build up the stepsOne or two at a time, marking every loose moment, then gradually more before each reward4
- Stand still if it tightensWalk on when your dog comes back or the lead slackens4
- Take it outsideShorter, easier repetitions and tastier treats as distractions grow4
- Play with speedA little faster, then slower, rewarding your dog for staying with you4
Standing still is what teaches: it shows your dog that a relaxed lead keeps the walk going4. To steer clear of distractions, try Dogs Trust's "this way": say it, pop a treat to their nose, change direction and reward them as they come with you2.
On every walk
Do
Walks that don't undo the training
Everyday walks can undo training walks, because each time your dog tows you to the park the habit gets another reward2. Battersea suggests making the two feel different: a cue or different kit for structured walking, and a release cue such as "off you go" when it is time to sniff and explore4.
While you train, Dogs Trust suggests quiet times and places, play or training before you set off, short walks if they've become hard work, and secure dog fields where no lead is needed2.
Give it time: many puppies show progress within a few weeks, adults who have pulled for a while may take longer, and progress often dips in adolescence, says Battersea4. Signs it is working: your dog checks in more often, the lead stays loose for longer and walks feel calmer4.
When to get help
If your dog is healthy, Battersea suggests a qualified trainer when the pulling persists despite consistent training, your dog grabs or bites the lead or seems worried about walks, or you don't feel confident managing them safely4.
If worry or frustration seems to drive the pulling, a qualified behaviourist can help you work out why, and Dogs Trust's behaviour team gives free advice by phone2. Choose reward-based help: the RSPCA says a trainer can help you and your dog without techniques that cause pain or fear8.
Stick with it and the walk changes shape: fewer lampposts reached at a gallop, more glances back to check where you're both heading. Those glances are worth every pea-sized treat.
Sources and further reading8 sources
The small numbers in the article link to the source behind each fact. Sources open on their own websites.
- Owner approaches and attitudes to the problem of lead-pulling behaviour in pet-dogs
- Dog walking problems, pulling on lead and how to help
- Review of Collars, Harnesses, and Head Collars for Walking Dogs
- How to train your dog to walk on a lead
- Lead pulling as a welfare concern in pet dogs: What can veterinary professionals learn from current research?
- Dog Pulling on the Leash: Effects of Restraint by a Neck Collar vs. a Chest Harness
- Comparing efficacy in reducing pulling and welfare impacts of four types of leash walking equipment
- Why prong collars are harmful to dogs