TAKING A DOG on a walk can be good exercise, which is especially needed as we age. But a dog that pulls on its leash can put you at risk for a fall.

Terri Bright, a dog trainer and the director of behavior services for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals–Angell Animal Medical Center, offers this tip: Don’t start training with a walk.

“The best place to start teaching a dog to walk on a leash is in the house. I have the dog on my left, and I pivot to the right and give the dog a treat at my left knee. And then I keep pivoting to the right and feeding the dog at my left knee. The dog learns to keep its head at my left knee. Then I start taking steps in various directions, and it stays at my knee.

“The next place to practice is in the yard. And then on the front porch, then somewhere in public where there are no other dogs. It takes a long time before you can walk with your dog without pulling.” —S.M.