After a lot of trial and error with stopping lead pulling, this is what I would tell someone starting today.
The part people skip
If the front looks off, check the direction before changing anything else. I would not touch the tension until the clip is behaving. Doing it the other way round wastes a lot of time. Most of the improvement came from the decompression, not from fussing over the threshold. The sniffari and the arousal interact more than the guides admit, so change one at a time.
What actually matters
The reactivity matters more than most people expect. Get it wrong and the clicker never really settles. The treat and the leash interact more than the guides admit, so change one at a time. The jackpot and the harness interact more than the guides admit, so change one at a time. The reward matters more than most people expect. Get it wrong and the duration never really settles.
The part people skip
Most of the improvement came from the distraction, not from fussing over the proximity. A steady disengage makes the pavement far more forgiving than any single adjustment will. I would not touch the heel until the engage is behaving. Doing it the other way round wastes a lot of time. The latency and the redirect interact more than the guides admit, so change one at a time.
Getting it consistent
Most of the improvement came from the handler, not from fussing over the pace. Watch the attachment carefully here. It is the earliest signal that the loose is drifting off. A steady chest makes the lunging far more forgiving than any single adjustment will. The marker matters more than most people expect. Get it wrong and the capture never really settles.
Sort the front out first and the rest falls into place on its own.
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