The leash is a phone line between you and Melon. When it’s tight, the line is busy — no information is flowing, just tension. When it’s loose, you can have a conversation: gentle direction, speed changes, turns. She follows your body and the leash stays slack.
This stage introduces the physical mechanics of walking together.
Core Concept: Pressure and Release
The leash communicates through pressure (tension) and release (slack). The dog naturally moves away from pressure and toward where the pressure releases. This isn’t a correction — it’s physics and body language.
Pressure: Leash gets taut (she’s pulling or you’re guiding) Release: Leash goes slack (she’s in the right spot)
The reward is always the release. The moment the leash goes slack, she’s in the right place. Add a YES + treat to reinforce it.
Pattern Walking (Michael Ellis Method)
Pattern walking teaches Melon to follow your body by making your movements predictable. She learns: when he moves, I move with him. The pattern becomes the conversation.
The Basics
Setup: Quiet area (backyard, empty parking lot, quiet street). Treats loaded. Leash in one hand, treats in the other.
The pattern:
- Walk forward 10 steps at a normal pace
- Stop. Wait for her to check in → YES + treat
- Turn right (away from her). Walk 10 steps.
- Stop. Check-in → YES + treat
- Turn left (toward her — she’ll need to move out of the way). Walk 10 steps.
- Stop. Check-in → YES + treat
- About turn (180°). Walk 10 steps.
- Repeat.
Why It Works
- The predictable pattern lets her anticipate your movements
- Turns require her to watch your body (not the environment)
- Right turns (away from her) = she has to hustle to keep up = builds engagement
- Left turns (toward her) = she has to yield and respect your space
- About turns = she has to be paying attention or she gets left behind
- Stops = check-in opportunities
Progression
Week 1: Walk 10 steps between turns. High treat rate (reward every check-in, every turn). She’s learning the pattern.
Week 2: Walk 15-20 steps between turns. Treat every other check-in. She’s getting the rhythm.
Week 3: Variable steps between turns (5-20). Random directions. She can’t predict when you’ll turn, so she has to watch you constantly.
Week 4: Add pace changes: walk → jog → walk → slow → walk. She matches your speed. YES + treat when she adjusts smoothly.
Dealing with Pulling
When the leash goes tight, you have options. Pick the one that fits the moment:
Method 1: Be a Tree
- She pulls. Leash goes tight.
- You stop moving. Completely. Become a boring tree.
- Wait. She’ll eventually look back or take a step toward you.
- Leash goes slack → YES + treat → resume walking
- She learns: pulling stops movement. Slack leash keeps us going.
Best for: General pulling, initial training, low-urgency moments.
Method 2: Direction Change
- She pulls forward. Leash goes tight.
- Without a word, turn and walk the opposite direction.
- Leash pressure guides her to follow (she has no choice — you’re going the other way).
- She catches up and the leash goes slack → YES + treat
- She learns: pulling forward doesn’t get her where she’s going.
Best for: Dogs who pull toward something specific. Pattern walking turns accomplish this naturally.
Method 3: Penalty Yards (Nate Schoemer)
- She pulls toward something she wants (another dog, a smell, a bush).
- Turn and walk AWAY from the thing she wants.
- Walk 5-10 steps away. Stop. Wait for check-in → YES + treat.
- Turn back toward the thing. Walk forward.
- She pulls again → walk away again. Repeat.
- She walks toward the thing on a loose leash → she gets to reach it as the reward.
- She learns: pulling delays arrival. Loose leash = you get there.
Best for: Teaching impulse control around high-value distractions.
Building the Loose Leash Default
The methods above manage pulling. But the goal is for the default to be a loose leash — not because you’re constantly correcting, but because she’s choosing it.
High check-in rate = loose leash. If she’s looking at you every few seconds, she’s not pulling. This is why Stage 1 (engagement) comes first.
Reward position:
- Treat delivery should happen at your side (where you want her), not in front of you
- If you treat with your left hand, she’ll tend to walk on your left
- Be consistent about which side
Reinforcement schedule:
- Early: YES + treat every 5-8 steps of loose leash walking
- Middle: YES + treat every 15-20 steps
- Later: Variable — sometimes 5 steps, sometimes 30. She never knows when the next reward is coming.
- Eventually: Check-ins get verbal praise, occasional treat, and the walk itself is the reward
Leash Mechanics
Hold the leash: One hand or two, but keep your arms relaxed at your sides. If your arm is extended, you’ve already used your buffer.
No wrapping around your hand: If she bolts, a wrapped leash can injure you. Loop the handle over your wrist if you need security.
Stay connected through the leash: Feel the tension. You should be able to sense when she’s about to pull before the leash goes fully taut. A gentle directional change before she commits is easier for both of you.
Session Structure
Warm-up:
- Quick engagement work at the doorway or front of the house (2 min)
- A few check-ins rewarded before you even start walking
Main work:
- Pattern walking: 10-15 minutes
- Include turns, stops, and pace changes
- Reward heavily. This is still skill building.
Cool-down:
- Transition to a “free walk” — let her sniff, decompress, be a dog for 5 min
- Say “go sniff” or whatever your free cue is
- Call her back for a final check-in → treat → BREAK
Total: 15-20 minutes (walking + free time)
Common Problems
She pulls immediately out the door:
- Don’t leave the house until she sits and checks in at the threshold
- Door opens → she pulls → door closes. Door opens → she waits → you walk through together.
- The walk itself is the reward for threshold manners.
She walks nicely for 30 seconds then pulls:
- Your treat rate is too low. Increase. Reward every 3-5 steps of loose leash.
- She might be pattern-matching: “I get treats for the first minute, then I can pull.” Vary your reinforcement timing.
She only walks nicely when you have treats visible:
- Keep treats in your pouch, not in your hand. She shouldn’t see them.
- Occasionally use non-food rewards: tug rep, sniff break, ball toss.
- She needs to be surprised by rewards, not expecting them.
Direction changes make her confused/stressed:
- Your turns are too abrupt. Make them smoother. Give her time to notice you’re changing direction.
- Use an “about!” or “this way!” verbal cue before turning so she gets a heads-up.
- After a turn, immediately reward when she catches up. The turn isn’t punishment — it’s communication.
Ready to Advance
Move to Stage 3: Real World Walking when:
- Melon can do a 15-minute pattern walk with 80%+ loose leash
- She follows direction changes (right, left, about-turn) within 2-3 steps
- She adjusts to pace changes (fast, slow, stop) smoothly
- She recovers from pulling within 5 seconds (you use tree/direction change, she re-engages)
- She’s checking in every 15-20 seconds during the walk
- You’ve practiced in at least 2 different low-moderate distraction environments
All criteria met across 3 sessions? Time for the real world.