Gear That Helps

Clip the leash to a harness ring on your dog's chest, not the back. A back clip lets them lean in and haul like a sled dog.

Leave the retractable leash at home while you train. It quietly teaches the exact wrong lesson: lean into it and the line spools out, so pulling earns more freedom every time. You want one steady rule, not a moving target. A plain six-foot leash keeps the boundary in the same place on walk one and walk fifty.