12/21/2025
The first cue you’ll probably use when it comes to dog powered sports is likely “Line Out”, and the second is “Hike” (note: you can use whatever word you want, these are just the most commonly used). Line Out is a cue that tells your dog to go stand in front of you (or your rig) and to hold the line pressure steady while standing. For multi-dog teams, Line Out is essential for keeping the lines from getting tangled before starting a run. It’s still a great idea to have a solid line out with a single dog because because it gives your dog a heads up that we will be starting soon, and you can also tell if your dog is ready to go or not by how they react.
Hike is the “go forward” cue so it is often taught simultaneously with “Line Out”.
From my research, there are 𝟯 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁 (if you know of any more, please leave a comment!). Please ensure your dog is wearing a well-fitted, pulling harness when training Line Out.
𝟭. 𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹: this works best with high-drive dogs who just can’t wait to run. If your dog is unsure about pulling, this method likely won’t work great for you
a. When you are pretty sure that your dog will pressure/pull on the line, say “Line Out” and then wait for your dog to naturally put tension on the line. Once they do, say your go cue (usually “Hike”) and allow your dog to move forward. Repeat whenever you start your runs.
b. Once you start seeing your dog consistently starting to put tension on the line immediately after you say “Line Out”, start increasing the duration of the Line Out. Initially you would immediately give the release cue once they put tension on the line; now, you will wait a few seconds before give the release “Hike”. Repeat, and gradually increase from 1-2 seconds, to 5 seconds, to 10 and so forth until you reach your desired time.
𝟮. 𝗧𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱: Very popular method; not my preferred method because your dog initially learns the reward comes from you and to approach you instead of moving with you following behind. Note: instead of tethering your dog to an object, you can be holding the line and have a human helper getting your dog to pull and rewarding them.
a. With your dog safely tethered to an object that won’t move or fall, call them forward or lure them. When they put tension on the line say a reward marker (“yes”) and give them a treat. Repeat.
b. Once your dog is comfortable pulling forward for a treat, move from being in front, to being sideways and either tossing a treat forward for them to pull towards or lure with your hand while your body is beside them instead of in front.
c. Holding your dog’s line, toss a treat in front, then let your dog pull forward. Pause for a second with tension then and let them approach the treat. Repeat.
d. Once your dog is comfortable pulling in front of you, start saying “Line Out” before tossing the treat.
e. When your dog start to pull a bit forward when you say “Line Out” (before you toss the treat), start to gradually say “Line Out” then wait for your dog to pull and once they are pulling forward toss the treat.
f. Now start saying “Line Out”, pause for your dog to pull forward and wait a few seconds, then say “Hike” and toss a treat forward and run with your dog. Gradually phase out throwing a treat and replace it by just running forward.
e. Gradually increase the pause after saying “Line Out” from 1-2s to 5s, then 10 and so forth so your dog learns to wait with tension on the line before being told to “Hike”.
This video demonstrates a version of tethered training: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdHgMvsNn6g
𝟯. 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀: my preferred method, as it teaches your dog to pull in front of you and that the reward does not come from handler. A bit more labourious for the handler, requires 2-3 targets (use large flat surface like plates, frisbees, etc) that will need to be phased out.
a. First introduce the targets to your dog: place a treat on the surface, then lower it down to the ground and let your dog get the treat so they learn that target = treats.
b. Place the 2 targets in a line, with a few metres in between. With your dogs in harness on and a line, approach the first target but stay a few feet away where they can’t get the treat. When your dog approaches the target to get the treat, they should put tension on the line. Once there is tension on the line, say “Hike”, then let them approach the first target, then the second target (we want our dogs to keep going forward after the first target, lest they learn to only go to the first target and stop).
c. When your dog readily puts tension on the line when they see the target, approach the target, say “Line Out”, then wait for your dog to tension on the line before saying hike and letting them go to the first target then the second target.
d. Repeat step c but now after saying line out, wait a 1-2 seconds before saying hike. Repeat, then
slowing increase the time to 5s, then 10, and so forth until desired time.
e. Once your dog clearly understand their line out cue, start phasing out the target by not always having a treat on it, and spacing the target further away from each other, then not having the targets. You should at the same time be switching from using the treats to instead continuing to move forward as the reward.
These videos show Line Out being trained using targets:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4Gq-LWM0Ko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Rbws8guFA
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀
Regardless of which method you use, make sure to only give your “Hike” cue when your dog is doing a correct “Line Out” i.e. the dog is putting tension on line in front of you/rig and looking forward. If you don’t, you will slowly teach your dog to do a poor line out. For example, if you repeatedly tell your dog to “Hike” when they are looking back towards you then your dog learns that line out means they have to look back at you. Also make sure to gradually train your line out cue in a variety of environments and around different distractions!
