Puppy Leash Training
Dog walking can be a real pain in the arm but it does not have to be.
Instead it can be fun and a wonderful way for you and your pet to bond. Puppy leash training should be started as early as possible. We suggest introducing the leash and collar with in the first week of their arrival to your home.
Follow the free guide below and your puppy should become comfortable with a leash and collar. About 2 to 3 weeks of training is needed for proper puppy leash training. Some dogs may learn faster than others, walking next to you in the first week.
Steps to Training Your Puppy to Walk on a Leash
1 - First thing is to introduce the puppy collar. Usually it's best to start with a light weight leather collar. Something simple and comfortable for the puppy to wear. Allow your puppy to become familiar with the collar as soon as you bring him home. Start slow and if your puppy tries to remove the collar do not take it off. Wait until the puppy loses interest in the collar then remove it. Do not reward your puppy by removing the collar if they attempt to take it off.
2 - Next is to introduce the leash. Use a simple light weight leash. No need for a fancy retractable
3 - Now the time has come to grab the other end of the leash. The puppy should be reacting well to the collar and leash at this point. Walk the puppy around the house to start. Your puppy should be easy to walk since they will most likely follow you everywhere. If the puppy is not pulling and the leash is loose then praise and reward your puppy with organic treats.
When the puppy pulls tight on the leash and begins to walk you, stop. Do not tug or yank the leash, just stop moving and wait for the puppy to relax. As soon as they relax praise them and offer another organic treat. When the puppy pulls, you must stop, otherwise you are just rewarding your puppy by allowing him to control the walk.
4 - Take your puppy for walks as much as possible. If the puppy stops, do not yank or pull them. Again, wait until they get up and move towards you, reward them and continue walking. The first couple walks may be short in distance but long in time. Over the next few weeks the puppy will start to understand that they get to go further when they stop pulling the leash.
5 - Try not to combine walks with your dog and taking them outside to relieve themselves. Make these two events separate. If you must combine these two actions then do not turn around and go home as soon as the dog relieves themselves. By going straight home afterwards you are punishing the dog for relieving themselves. The next time you take your dog outside to do "their business" your dog will hold it in as long as possible to extend their walk.
6 - There are plenty of dog walking training aids on the market to help you control you dog when walking in public. You can try training with a standard leash but if your dog becomes hard to walk and the training difficult on your arm than perhaps you may want to look into some of the training aids available at PetSmart.com.
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This guide to puppy leash training should be all you need to successfully walk your dog with a "loose leash". It is simple but it works on the premise that you have the time to follow it through and walk them as much as possible. If you have an older dog, beyond their puppy years, then the dog leash training guide will help you further.
