What does leash pressure mean to your dog?
Dogs naturally move faster than we do.
They notice more.
They want to explore.
They walk quicker than us.
So in the early stages, some pulling on the leash is inevitable. That’s why we need to work on teaching dogs how to walk without pulling.
I won’t go deep into the negatives of leash pulling here — I’ve covered that in other blogs. But to keep it short: It’s not great.
For dogs, it can increase frustration, feelings of entrapment, anxiety, and it denies freedom of movement. For people, it’s frustrating and sometimes dangerous.
So it’s not something we should brush off if a dog pulls. But today’s focus is different:
What does a tight leash actually mean to your dog?
A Tight Leash Has Meaning
If your dog is regularly pulling, it usually means that in some way, pulling is “working” for them. A tight leash can mean many things to a dog.
Here are some common ones:
It slows me down from getting to what I want
It traps me in places I don’t like
It slows me down when I’m trying to get away
It means my human is coming in the direction I’m taking them
The first few aren’t great. They can create frustration, restraint, and a feeling of being trapped.
And while the last one might not sound so bad, it has downsides too.
If a dog learns that pulling gets them where they want to go, it will eventually end in tears.
At some point they’ll pull toward something unsafe, or something negative for them in this human world. Or we’ll suddenly deny access because we see trouble coming — and then we get the behavioural fallout of frustration because the goal posts moved at the worst possible moment.
What We Actually Want Leash Pressure to Mean
What we really want leash pressure to mean is:
“My human is asking me to adjust to their pace and direction.”
It should be a gentle signal that:
stop going that way
move in this new direction
come to a stop with me
This isn’t done with corrections or harsh handling.
It’s done with gentle, clear, consistent guidance. And most importantly, releasing the pressure as early as possible so the dog isn’t dragged and can choose to follow.
Cue Before Pressure
Ideally, leash pressure is preceded by an audible cue. This gives the dog a chance to notice the change in direction before the leash ever tightens. Real life won’t always allow this, but if we aim for it often, it’s close to best practice in the real world.
Pulling Is Information
I’m not saying never allow your dog to go where they want to go. I’m saying that when you feel pulling, it’s information. Your dog is telling you they are either:
trying to get to something
ortrying to get away from something
If a dog pulls constantly, it becomes almost impossible to know what the need is. But if the baseline is loose leash walking, then when pressure appears, it gives us information to notice and respond to.
How We Respond Matters
Sometimes we’ll allow our dogs to move toward what they want. That’s where practicing approaching without pulling becomes useful.
Sometimes we’ll notice they’re overstimulated and need to slow down before continuing.
Sometimes they’re trying to access something we shouldn’t allow, and we guide them away.
Sometimes they’re stressed, fearful, or overwhelmed and need support to leave the situation.
In each case, our job is to guide — not punish.
The Goal
When we step in and guide our dogs, we want them to feel:
they’re safe
they’re not in trouble
we’ve got this
we’re leading them to a better option
Leash pressure isn’t about control.
It’s communication.
And when dogs understand what it means, walks become calmer, clearer, and far more enjoyable for both ends of the leash.
If you’d like help applying this and in doing so, improving your and your your dogs lives, I can support you in a few different ways.
Through Canine Caregivers, I offer online courses and webinars to build understanding, structure, and consistency at your pace.
If you’re based in Sydney, I also offer 1:1 training across Sydney, socialisation and puppy classes, and can provide all recommended training equipment to support the work we’re doing.
I offer The Complete Care training program that covers every single base you will need as well as The Starter Program which allows you to tailor the training and support you need with flexibility.
👉 Join Canine Caregivers
📞 Or get in touch for 1:1 help in Sydney
— Ian
Bondi Behaviourist
“A healthy dog is a happy dog and a happy dog is great to live with”.
