Walking your dog or taking him other places, such as the vet, is much easier when you have trained him to use a leash properly. You will be able to manage you dog in any situation because you will be in control.
It is best to begin leash training as soon as you bring your new puppy home. Some dogs will be trained to use the leash within a few days while others may take 1-2 weeks. Being consistent is what is important.
The First Step - The Dog Collar
Your puppy must first learn how a collar feels around his neck. The collar should fit tight enough that your puppy cannot pull it over his head, but it should not be so tight that it will choke him. The collar will be the correct size if your thumb can fit comfortably between the dog's coat and the collar.
As soon as you get home place a collar on your puppy. You may find it easier to put the collar on your puppy when he is distracted with toys or food. Your puppy will try to get rid of the collar by rolling around or scratching at it. Never remove the collar when he is doing this. You can take the collar off when your dog is no longer paying attention to it. Your puppy should feel comfortable with his collar after a day or two.
Adding the Dog Leash
When your dog is feeling comfortable with his collar you can introduce him to the leash. This is done by letting your dog move around freely with a leash attached to his collar. Start out with a lightweight leash.
You should not leave your dog unsupervised with the leash attached because the leash may catch on something. If your puppy gets tangled up release him and allow him to continue playing.
Within a day or two your dog should be comfortable with the leash. The next stage of leash training can begin as soon as your puppy feels comfortable with his leash.
Walking with The Leash
The next step is to teach your dog to walk beside you on a leash. A good place to start this step is where there are not many distractions.
The leash tension should be slack with enough length that you are not physically pulling your dog. You should allow your puppy to walk freely.
As soon as your puppy pulls on the leash you must stop. If you keep walking you are reinforcing his behavior of pulling on the leash. Call your dog to come to you but do not yank on the leash. Be sure to praise him for returning to you and then begin walking again. This process should be repeated everytime your dog pulls on the leash. If you are consistent with this process your puppy will soon learn he can not go very far if he pulls on the leash. Duplicate this process until your dog understands what is expected. Consistency is the key.
It may take a few walks before your dog is not pulling on the leash. Remember to always praise your dog for tasks performed correctly.
Your dog wants to please you. Your praises should be enthusiastic. Dog treats often add to your dog's motivation in successfully completing a task.
Dog Leash Training an Adult Dog
It is true that it is easier to leash train a puppy than an adult dog. A puppy is smaller and easier to control physically and they do not have bad habits to overcome.
Leash training an adult dog is the same procedure as training a puppy but physically more demanding. You must maintain full control when training an adult dog.
A harness or gentle leader can be used when leash training an older and larger dog. These give you more control but will not choke your dog or cause him any pain.
Leash training your dog is not complicated. It requires time and patience but you will be rewarded with a well-behaved dog.
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