The truth is that most dogs in the U.S. don’t get nearly the amount of exercise they need, with the result that over half the canine companions in this country are obese. And while the weather outside may be frightful, it’s not enough to exercise your furry family member only on warm, sunny days. Dog ownership means making a commitment to keep your pet moving, rain or shine (or snow).

Dogs need walks not just to relieve themselves, but for exercise and mental stimulation. They need opportunities to get outside, put all available paws in contact with the earth, interact with their environment, move their bodies, and socialize with other humans and dogs.

Setting the Stage for a Lifetime of Good Walks
The best way to develop a positive dog walking habit is when your pet is a puppy. In fact, as soon as their immune system is strong enough to protect them from communicable disease (discuss when it’s safe to take them on adventures with your veterinarian), they are ready for walks with you and other family members.

They should already have their own secure-fitting flat collar and ID tag, and they should be accustomed to wearing it before you attempt to take them for walks. Some puppies have no problem wearing a collar; others do. If yours is fighting it, as long as you’re sure it isn’t too tight (you should be able to easily slip your fingers under it) or uncomfortable for some other reason, distract them from fussing with it until they gets used to it. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days for them to forget they are even wearing it.

If you plan to use a head halter or harness for walks (which I recommend for any dog at risk of injury from pulling against a collar/leash combination), again, get your puppy comfortable wearing it. As with the collar, this needs to happen before you attempt to attach a leash and head out the door.

Once wearing them collar and a halter or harness is second nature to your dog, you’re ready for the next step. Attach a short leash and let puppy drag it around the house under your watchful eye. They’ll get used to it being attached, as well as the tug of it when they step on it, or it hangs up on something. Start inside for a few sessions then move outside until they get comfortable.

Act I: Training Your Dog to Follow on a Loose Lead
Initial walks should be short for most puppies — the main goal is to get your dog used to being attached to you by a lead. Find a safe environment and allow puppy to drag the line behind them for a bit, then pick up the opposite end. Let them lead you around for a few seconds while you hold the line just off the ground. Slow down so they are forced to slow down, ultimately to a stop. Take a short break for praise and a little playtime.

Next, let them trail the line again, but when you pick up your end this time, call them and stand still. If they pull, hold your ground without pulling them in your direction. The goal is to teach them to put slack in the line themselves by moving toward you. When they put slack in the line, praise them and call them to you.

If they come all the way to you, give them more praise and a training treat. If they stop on their way to you, tighten the line just enough to apply a tiny bit of pull to it. Immediately call them to come again. Give praise as they move toward you and treat when they come all the way back. Two or three sessions is all many puppies need to understand lack of tension in the line is what earns praise and treats.

When your pup has learned to come towards you to relieve tension on the line, you can begin backing up as they come toward you to keep them moving. Next, turn and walk forward so they are following you. If they pass you, head in another direction so they are again behind you. The goal is to teach them to follow on a loose lead.

Depending on your pup’s temperament, 5 to 15-minute sessions are sufficient in the beginning. Practice controlling them on the lead for 30 second intervals during each session. Exercise patience and don’t engage in a battle of wills with your pup. Don’t snap, yank, or otherwise use the line for correction or punishment. Stop before either of you gets frustrated or tired.

After each short session on the lead, liberally praise your puppy and spend a few minutes playing fetch or some other game they love. Remember: you’re building the foundation for an activity both you and they will enjoy and look forward to throughout their life.

Act II: Reducing Your Dog’s Urge to Pull
If your little guy or girl just doesn’t seem to be catching on to the loose lead thing, don’t despair. Some puppies and untrained adult dogs stubbornly fight the pressure of the line rather than create slack. If your puppy freezes on a taut line or consistently pulls against it, it’s important to use a halter or harness rather than a collar attached to the lead, because they can create serious neck and cervical disk problems for herself by pulling against a collar/leash combination.

Next, make sure you’re not part of the problem. Our human instinct is to hold the leash taut, so you must also train yourself to move in ways that keep slack in the line. A dog’s natural response to a tight line is to pull against it. Once you’re sure you’re not contributing to your pup’s refusal to create slack in the lead or move toward you, do the following:
Maintain tension on the line and turn your back to them. Allow time for it to occur to them they can’t win by pulling against you. Remain still with your back to them holding the tension in the line. Don’t jerk it, pull, or yank them toward you, and don’t put slack in the line yourself, as this will show them that the way to get slack is to pull at the line. Which is exactly the opposite of what you’re trying to teach them.

The message you want to send to your pup is that pulling on the lead doesn’t accomplish a thing. It doesn’t change the scenery, it doesn’t get you moving in a direction they choose, and it doesn’t earn praise or treats. Eventually, they’ll stop doing what doesn’t work, especially when they are consistently rewarded for desirable behavior. This can take a lot of time and multiple sessions.

Remember: A healthy dog needs to exercise an absolute minimum of every three days (every other day is better; every day is ideal) at an intensity that elevates his heart rate for 20 minutes to maintain cardiovascular conditioning and muscle tone. If your dog is out of shape, you’ll need to start slow and build gradually to 20 minutes per power walk.

Don’t forget to keep the types of walks varied:
Mentally stimulating walks: Most leashed dogs don’t get to spend nearly as much time sniffing and investigating as they would like, so allowing your pet some time to explore is good mental stimulation for them. These walks allow them to stop, sniff, investigate, and pick up and send pee-mail. Dogs accumulate knowledge about the world through their noses.

Change-of-scenery walks: Instead of heading outside in the same old direction, instead, buckle your dog in and drive a few blocks away or to a neighborhood park or nearby hiking trail for your walk. Both you and they will find new things to see, smell, and experience.

Walks with friends: If your dog is comfortable around other dogs, consider meeting up with neighbors or friends with dogs for group walks. Everyone on two legs and four gets to socialize and exercise simultaneously, and dog parents can also be valuable resources for one another.

Different dog-walker walks: Everyone walks a dog a little differently, so the more members of your household who walk your dog, the more variety they’ll enjoy. And since walks done right are bonding.

One of the most important gifts you can give your dog whenever you interact with them, including on walks, is your undivided attention. Put down the phone and other distractions and let them know through your focus on them how much they mean to you.