From the blog

How to Leash Train a Puppy

Most leash-pulling problems don’t come from a bad leash or a stubborn puppy. They come from only having one command doing two different jobs. Neal Goldberg of Neal’s Naughty Puppy School, who has trained dogs personally since 1988, teaches two separate commands instead: the Free Walk, a relaxed loose-leash walk for everyday use, and Heel, a tighter formal position for busy sidewalks or tight spaces. Below is how he teaches each one, plus the correction routine he uses across every command he teaches, not just these two.

Published October 12, 2026. Last reviewed October 12, 2026.

Key Takeaways

Leash training works better as two separate commands (a relaxed Free Walk and a formal Heel) than one command asked to do both jobs.
Both commands are taught the same way: reward-based repetition first, a verbal cue added once the behavior is reliable, then practiced around distractions.
“Say it once” (full routine below) means the command isn’t repeated as empty words; each step after it is a real consequence, not a repeat.
Leash training can start the day a puppy comes home, with reasonable precautions before vaccines are complete; confirm timing specifics with your vet.
Consistency, not any single technique, is what actually stops chronic pulling.

Two Commands, Not One

A lot of leash training advice treats “walking nicely” as a single skill. In practice, a loose-leash stroll around the block and weaving through a crowded sidewalk are different jobs, and trying to use one command for both is where a lot of the constant correcting and pulling comes from.

Neal splits it into two. The Free Walk is loose-leash walking without the rigid formality of Heel: the one most owners use on everyday walks, where the puppy stays near but isn’t locked into a fixed position. Heel is a tighter, more controlled position for situations where precision matters, like passing another dog on a narrow trail or moving through a crowded parking lot. Teaching both, and being consistent about which one you’re asking for, does more for long-term pulling than relying on a single gadget or technique.

Both commands below are taught the same way: short sessions, five to ten minutes, two or three times a day. Puppies lose focus fast, and a few short reps beat one long one. How quickly it clicks depends on the puppy and how consistently you practice, not a fixed timeline; short, frequent sessions get there faster than occasional long ones.

How to Teach the Free Walk

Start indoors or in the yard, somewhere with minimal distractions, before testing it on a real walk.
Let the leash stay loose. The moment your puppy is near you with slack in the leash, mark it (a word like “yes” or a clicker) and reward.
Add the verbal cue (“Free Walk”) only once your puppy is reliably offering loose-leash walking without it, so the word gets attached to a behavior they already know.
Build up distance and duration gradually, a few steps at a time, before moving to a real sidewalk or trail.
Practice around mild distractions first (another room, a quiet yard) before testing it anywhere busy.

How to Teach Heel

Start with your puppy at your side, using a treat to hold their attention at your leg.
Take a single step. If they stay in position, mark and reward immediately.
Add the verbal cue (“Heel”) once they’re consistently matching your position for a few steps at a time.
Practice direction changes and stops in a low-distraction space before using it somewhere busy.
Reserve Heel for situations that actually need it, like a tight sidewalk or passing another dog, rather than the whole walk, so it stays a meaningful cue instead of background noise. It’s a more precise position than the Free Walk, so expect it to take longer to feel automatic.

Common Leash Training Problems

Puppy plants their feet and won’t move. Don’t drag them. Wait them out, reward any movement toward you, even a single step, and build from there.
Puppy lunges toward another dog, a person, or a squirrel. Increase the distance from the distraction until your puppy can stay focused on you, then reward attention before gradually closing the gap over multiple sessions.
Puppy chews or bites the leash. Redirect to an approved chew toy rather than yanking the leash away, and shorten the session; a puppy fixated on the leash itself is usually overstimulated or tired.
Pulling comes back after the first week. Common, not a failure. Drop back to a lower-distraction environment for a few sessions and rebuild, rather than pushing through on a busy route.
The leash correction doesn’t seem to be working after a few tries. Slow down and double-check the praise or reward right after is actually landing, a correction only teaches anything if what follows it is genuinely rewarding. Still stuck after a few sessions? That’s a good time to book a consult rather than escalate the correction.

Give the Command Once

Whichever command you’re using, how you give it matters as much as which one you pick. Neal’s rule, the same one he applies to every command he teaches, not just leash work: say it once. A clearer way to think about it: one clear cue, then consequences, not one utterance ever. “Once” refers to how many times the command gets repeated as empty words, not how many steps the routine has. After the first ask, every step that follows carries an actual consequence instead of just repeating the same ignored cue.

His cadence: give the command once. If your puppy doesn’t respond, say “no,” then give the command again. If they still don’t respond, a light correction on the leash paired with the command a third time, then follow through until they comply, with genuine praise the moment they do. What he’s avoiding is repeating a command three or four times with no consequence attached. Every time a puppy is allowed to ignore a command, it learns it doesn’t have to listen.

A leash correction in this method means brief, light pressure, not a hard yank. Use a well-fitted flat collar for it, not a choke or prong collar on a puppy, and consider a harness instead if your puppy is very small or has any neck sensitivity. The correction is there to interrupt, not for punishment. In a typical session, most of the time is spent on reward and practice, treats, praise, repetition; the leash correction, when it’s used at all, is a brief moment reserved for a cue that’s being actively ignored.

Worth knowing: current veterinary behavior guidance leans further toward reward-only training than this. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s 2021 position statement on humane dog training recommends reward-based methods for all training and advises against physical corrections. Neal’s method differs in that it keeps a light, occasional leash correction as a last step after a command is actively ignored, not as a primary tool, which is why it’s described here with equipment and force guidance rather than left as a vague aside. If you’d rather train without any physical correction at all, the same step-by-step structure above works using only the reward-and-withhold steps, just expect ignored commands to take longer to resolve.

Starting Before Your Puppy Is Fully Vaccinated

Leash training doesn’t have to wait until your puppy has finished their full vaccine series. Veterinary behavior organizations, including the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, generally support starting socialization and basic training as early as about a week after a puppy’s first vaccination and deworming (see their puppy socialization position statement), because the window where puppies learn fastest closes around 12 to 14 weeks, before most vaccine series are complete. In practice, that means leash and command basics in your house and yard can start right away, while higher-risk exposure like dog parks, unknown dogs, or high-traffic public ground waits until your vet clears it. Confirm the specifics for your puppy, including local disease risk in your area, with your own vet before taking them anywhere other dogs frequent.

Real Results: Debbie and Remy

Debbie came to Neal with Remy, a rescue of unknown history, around 9 months old, training entirely over Zoom from Simi Valley. She practiced daily and sent videos constantly, asking what she could do better. Neal wasn’t sure a 9-month-old rescue with no known background could complete his Wall of Fame program; Debbie proved otherwise. Remy is one of two dogs on that page today, where the outcome is stated directly: “Basic Obedience finished, on and off leash.” In Debbie’s own words, from the same page: “Working with Neal has been an incredible journey. From the very beginning, I was guided step by step toward becoming the true pack leader in my home, and I’m so proud to now have earned a place on the Wall of Fame. All of our training was done exclusively via Zoom – I never once felt like I was missing out by not training in person.” The page also includes video of Remy’s training. Leash work, including the Free Walk and Heel, is part of every graduate’s program, Remy’s included, built on the same structure above: reward-based repetition first, a clear cue added once the behavior is solid, and a correction used sparingly and consistently rather than constantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between the Free Walk and Heel?

The Free Walk is a relaxed, loose-leash walk without a rigid position requirement, the one you'll use on most everyday walks. Heel is a tighter, more controlled position for situations that need extra precision, like a busy sidewalk or a narrow trail.

Why is it called say it once if the correction has three steps?

The command itself is given once; see the Give the Command Once section above for the full routine. Everything that follows it is a consequence, not a repeat, which is the distinction the name is getting at.

Can I start leash training before my puppy has had all their shots?

Yes, for training at home, about a week after the first vaccination per AVSAB guidance (see the section above for sources and specifics). Save higher-risk public spaces, dog parks, areas with unknown dogs, until your vet clears it.

Do I need special equipment for this method?

A well-fitted flat collar or a harness both work for walking generally. If you use the leash correction described above, do it on a flat collar, not a choke or prong collar, and keep it light and brief. A harness is a reasonable substitute if your puppy is very small or has any neck sensitivity.

What if my puppy only pulls toward specific things, like other dogs or squirrels?

That's still a Free Walk or Heel situation, just with a stronger distraction. Practice in a lower-distraction environment first, then gradually work closer to the specific trigger once the command is solid.

How long does full off-leash training usually take?

There’s no fixed timeline, it depends on how consistent you are. Neal’s own dog Magnum was off-leash trained at 6 months, which Neal considers unusually fast; with consistent daily work, most dogs trained this way are fully off-leash reliable by around 2 years old.