Stop, Don’t Pull Back
The moment the leash goes taut, stop walking entirely rather than tugging back. Puppies quickly learn that pulling gets them nowhere, while a loose leash keeps the walk moving.
Reward Position, Not Just Behavior
Mark and reward the puppy whenever it happens to walk near your side with slack in the leash — over time, this position becomes the default rather than something forced.
Keep Early Walks Short and Low-Distraction
A quiet street or backyard gives a puppy fewer competing temptations to pull toward, letting loose-leash walking take hold before testing it somewhere busier.
Puppies explore primarily through their noses, which means a walk that looks aimless to us is, to the puppy, a highly purposeful investigation.