I walk my dog a few times a day, and last week was on vacation. He loves to swim (He’s a chocolate lab), and when we’re down the shore, I usually am more lenient on the rules with walking (as there are not as many cars or other dogs/dangers), so I walk him on a very long, 30’ leash. He can roam around, smell, explore a neighbor’s tree or steps, and usually comes back to me. If he sees a person or another dog or animal, he get excited and wants to pull to go greet them (he loves everything and everyone) , but if it’s unsafe or the person feels uncomfortable , I reel in his leash and keep him close so he’s safe and so is everyone else.

There are times I walk him with a prong collar and a 6’ leash. These are his training walks, meant to teach him not to pull, stay in a heel, and focus on me only, no other people or animals.

When we’re out on the water, he doesn’t wear a leash (one because he’d get tangled in it and it’d be dangerous) and 2 because I know he’ll come back to me in the water (he loves his mom and is too afraid to get out of my site when he’s swimming in the bay).

I was walking him this moringa and the concept of ‘having a long leash’ hit me. I have players who get a longer leash than others. They can make 2-3 mistakes , or show poor body language once or twice, before I take them out to help them reset. I have other players I keep on a shorter leash, they get 1-2 mistakes , or the minute their body language changes, I take them out. I dont’ think i have any players who I can let off-leash yet. But the goal is they have enough awareness and self control that I don’t need to put them on a leash at all. I can trust that they’ll regulate themselves and are able to fix the problem, knowing that I’m there to help them, but without needing me to intervene.

I challenge you to look at the leashes you have your players on and question WHY you have them on the length of leash you do.