Dog Leashing Training

Dog Training

For dogs of all sizes, it is important to teach them how to walk on a leash.  After all, leash laws are enforced throughout the United States, for the safety of other people and pets, as well as your own dog.  By keeping your dog on a leash, you maintain control to ensure he does not chase cars, and jump on people, and so on.  However, most dogs do not naturally take to being on a leash, which is why proper training is needed.

For each training session you provide your dog, he will need to be on a leash.  What happens is that keeping a dog on the leash throughout training will actually make the sessions far more effective.  Again, it goes back to you having better control.  At first you will simply start by teaching your dog to walk on a leash.  Do not be surprised if you find your dog pulling, biting at the leash, and doing whatever he can do to get free.  This initial behavior is normal and to be expected.

With leash training, you will need to be patient and show a positive attitude.  Start by showing your dog the leash, allowing him to smell it.  Then, while sitting on the floor with your dog, attach the leash to his collar and just let him walk around to get accustomed to the feel.  We recommend you do this for several days in a row before you begin trying to get him to walk.

From there, attach the leash, taking the dog outside, giving him ample length so he does not feel the pull of the leash.  If your dog is uncomfortable, have him come to you so you can provide comfort, telling him its okay.  Then, you need to make sure the dog does not pull on the leash.  For this reason, during the first week, give him length so pulling is not a problem.

You would now start walking your dog, which can be done in the backyard where there are no distractions.  Use a short leash at first, which will help with any pulling.  Simply walk around with your dog, giving him a little time to stop.  Just as you do not want him pulling the leash, you too should not pull.  While you might need to give the leash a gentle tug, do not pull hard.  If you find that your dog still tries to pull away, bring him closer to you and in a firm voice, say, “no”.

Each time your dog walks without pulling, give him lots of praise so he will connect doing good with getting your attention.  After working with him in the yard for about a week, you can then move on to the neighborhood.  Again, you may find that he pulls away a little simply because there are people, cars, dogs, and other distractions.  However, by going through the same processes, he will soon begin to ignore things.  Once he has a good handle on the neighborhood, you can then advance to taking him to the park.

Remember, leash training is not hard but it does take a little time and effort.  Once your dog is comfortable on the leash, you could purchase a longer lead, if you want, making his dog walking experience even more enjoyable.  As you progress with training and teaching your dog tricks, he will respond positively to the leash, making each session easier and more successful.