These tips for preparing for the Canine Good Citizen Test are geared toward people who need ideas for how to practice loose leash walking with their dog. If your dog pulls uncontrollably on his leash, this post is not for you. There are numerous methods for teaching loose leash walking. If you need help with a dog who lunges constantly, please find a qualified dog trainer to work with.

However, pet parents who have been working on loose leash walking with their dog, and see positive results, you may be wondering how to up your game for practicing this core skill.

Task #4: Out for a Walk (Loose Leash Walking)

The AKC description of this fourth test reads:

“This test demonstrates that the handler is in control of the dog. The dog may be on either side of the handler. The dog’s position should leave no doubt that the dog is attentive to the handler and is responding to the handler’s movements and changes of direction. The dog need not be perfectly aligned with the handler and need not sit when the handler stops. The evaluator may use a pre-plotted course or may direct the handler/dog team by issuing instructions or commands. In either case, there should be a right turn, left turn, and an about turn with at least one stop in between and another at the end. The handler may talk to the dog along the way, praise the dog, or give commands in a normal tone of voice. The handler may sit the dog at the halts if desired.”

According to the CGC Evaluator Guide, the evaluator looks for five main behaviors:

• The dog’s position should leave no doubt that the dog is attentive to the handler and is responding to the handler’s movements and changes of direction.

• The dog need not be perfectly aligned with the handler and need not sit at the stops.

• The dog should not be constantly straining at the leash so that the leash is pulled tight. The Evaluator may instruct the handler to loosen (put more slack in) the leash. An occasional tight leash may be permitted.

• Excessive sniffing of the floor or ground, such that the dog will not walk along with the owner, should result in the dog not passing the test.

• If the dog is totally inattentive to the handler (e.g., does not change directions), it should not be passed.

Watch the video below for a few quick demonstrations of what walking on a loose lead looks like during the CGC Test.

Disclaimer

Before you start reading the training tips, please remember I am not a professional dog trainer. I am a dog parent just like you who wants my dog living up to CGC expectations for being a well-mannered pup in public. I’ve pulled these tips from a variety of sources, including online videos, webinars, books, and dog obedience classes I’ve attended. I’ve used all of the tips I suggest, but not all of these ideas may be right for you or your dog.

If you’re serious about wanting your dog to be a good neighbor, you should absolutely 100% be working with a professional dog trainer. Read more about why working with a professional dog trainer is one of the best decisions you’ll make for you and your dog. Once you’ve found a professional dog trainer who understands you and your goals, then online resources can serve as helpful reminders and inspiration.

Practicing for Task #4

Evaluate your walking routine:

• Do you walk your dog daily or several times a week?

• How many different places are you walking your dog?

• Do you always take the same route?

• Do you consistently expect that your dog won’t pull you?

• Do you mentally prepare yourself for working through the most challenging part of the walk? For many dogs, the first few minutes outside are the most exciting.

Identify different walking destinations

If you’ve grown accustomed to walking in the same park every day with your dog, you’re probably pretty bored. Guess what? Your dog is too.

When you’re preparing for CGC, you’re going to want to add variety to your walking regimen. Practicing in a variety of places helps your dog generalize the skill of walking politely on their leash. Since the CGC Test may occur at a location new to your dog, practicing becoming comfortable in new places helps.

• Pull up Google Maps, Apple Maps, or whatever your favorite map program may be. Look around your neighborhood for other parks to explore nearby or paths you could take.

• Ask your trainer for dog-friendly destinations for walks. They may even have a list to give you.

• Ask your friends with dogs for ideas too. There may be more dog-friendly shops, walks, and events than you may realize.

• Check your local newspaper too. If you find events for you and your dog, you may want to mark yourself as “Interested” on its Facebook Event to help the algorithm suggest similar dog-centered events in the future.

• When you’re in local coffee shops and establishments, check out the community bulletin board to see if anyone has dog-friendly information posted.

• Visit your local city/county website for parks and recreation. What kind of parks and facilities does your city or county have? Could you visit every park?

• Visit your state park website to see if they offer dog-friendly hiking trails you could try.

• Do you have any “famous” neighborhoods near you that offer walking tours or architectural tours that welcome dogs?

• If you’re a reader, check the Little Free Library World Map to see the locations of Little Free Libraries in your area. Could you create a walk around a LFL? You could drop off a used book, maybe find a new read, and explore a different neighborhood. Maybe find a new restaurant or visit a new park.

• Check BringFido for local destinations, activities, and events where you could practice.

• Check Go Pet Friendly as well. While they focus on pet travel, they may have different destination ideas.

Be consistent with walking your dog

Try to walk your dog every day, even if a few walks are mini-walks.

How long your walk may be will vary depending on the needs of your individual dog. Some people like to take multiple short walks over the course of a day. Other people take one long walk.

If you’re preparing for CGC, getting in daily walks will help you and your dog. Even if you’re having a crazy day and only have time for walking a few minutes around the block, that’s more practice than none.

Knowing that he gets a walk of some kind every day makes for a happy dog. Some dogs get super excited and over-stimulated when you bring out the leash. Sometimes this enthusiastic behavior occurs because the dog hasn’t been for a walk in a bit. Even when you’ve rocked CGC, opt outside as much as you can.

Try to maintain the same expectations on each walk.

Notice at what point in the walk your dog is most excited. For many dogs, they’re most energetic at the beginning of a walk, which means they may try to pull you. Don’t let them. Remember whatever techniques your dog trainer has told you.

If you need to be the tree, then be the tree. Let your dog hit the end of the leash, and turn back around to see you standing there waiting for them to get back in line.

If your trainer wants you to make an about-face turn and walk the other way, do it.

If you can help your dog understand the parameters of how your walk will progress, he’ll respond, but he’ll respond more consistently if you’re consistent with your expectations.

Patience is your friend with loose leash walking.

Make part of your walk training time

Once you feel like your dog’s focus is conducive to learning and practicing, work in some training. This means you should have your treat pouch with you filled with some yummy treats.

See our Resources Page for a comfortable waist pack I use as my multi-functional treat pouch/mini-purse, and our favorite high value training treats.

• Randomly turn. We’re talking don’t just follow the sidewalk around a park path. Dogs are smart and will auto-pilot. Make random right and left turns into the grass or pebbles or landscaping bark. Keep your dog on his toes.

• Make arbitrary stops. If your dog knows how to autosit, stopping at random intervals gives him good practice with his autosit. Remember, your dog does not have to sit whenever you stop on the CGC Test, but teaching your dog an autosit can be really helpful.

• Randomly make about-face turns in both directions. Some with your dog on the inside of the u-turn. Others with your dog on the outside of the u-turn.

• Remember, during the CGC Test you’re allowed to talk and encourage your dog. As you’re walking and practicing these turns and stops, you can name all of the behaviors. Just be consistent with your names so your dog can learn them over time.

Make part of your walk enrichment time

Have you heard of environmental agility? Use the environment around you to make walks more fun and mentally stimulating for you and your dog.

Teach your dog commands like Up and Paws on an Object to create interactive games with your dog.

Look for objects with different textures that would still be safe for your dog to jump on or put his paws on. Empty playgrounds are a great spot for different textures. When you start looking around at the rocks, curbs, and bars all around parks, you’ll see lots of opportunity to vary up how you’re spending your time on walks.

Don’t forget the sports fields either. Could your dog put his paws on the outside of a fence? Could he jump up on a dugout bench? Could he walk over the lowest step on a set of bleachers?

What objects could you weave through?

Do you see any posts or pillars lined up in a row? Are there any empty bicycle racks you could snake through with your dog following your lead?

Remember, keep your walking plan and destination fresh for you and your dog. Throw in a little training and then some environmental agility. Let your dog have some sniffing time. Keep changing up the order in which you’re practicing. But above all, keep practicing your loose-leash walking. Every day.