Leash training a dog

Leash training a dog is very important especially if you don’t want your dog to be dragging you around while taking your dog on a walk. Dog’s pulling on their leash while going for a walk is a very common problem that many people face but luckily it is not very difficult to train your dog to walk on a leash.

Many people don’t realise that by their actions, they are actually encouraging their dog to pull even harder on the leash and hence it turns out that your dog is walking you, not the other way around that you would like it to be.

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Dogs are packed with full of energy and love exploring and sniffing new things and places other than inside the boundaries of your home. When leash training a dog it is very important that you establish yourself as the pack leader and your dog sees you as the master. To begin with you need to firstly get your dog used to wearing a collar, place the collar around your dog’s neck calmly with your dog in the sitting position and praise your dog when the collar is on. It is easier to train your dog to walk on a leash at a younger age when it is a puppy but you can still train them to walk on a leash properly even when they are older dogs if they haven’t been taught so.

It is good practice when leash training a dog to use a command so your dog knows what is expected. A good command to use could be something like “walk time”, “let’s go” or something similar.

When taking your dog out for a walk, keep the leash length short so your dog will be walking by your side. If your dog pulls on its leash and tries to rush ahead then stop walking immediately and wait for your dog to stop pulling and either sit down and lay down. When your dog does this then praise it and take a few steps back and continue this process each time your dog pulls on its leash. Leash training a dog using this method has been proven to be very effective because your dog will soon learn that if it does not pull on its leash and walks beside you then you will be happy and your dog will get to where he wants to go quicker.  

You have a lot of competition when leash training a dog, you have to make sure that your dog finds walking next to you is more appealing than running off and exploring and sniffing things in site. To do this you should carry along some treats or snacks with you and each time your dog looks up at you while walking and is not lunging ahead give your dog a treat and praise your dog so that it knows you are pleased with its behaviour. This is also a great time to use a clicker if you have decided to use clicker training. Gradually extend the period of which you dog must walk obediently beside you before giving a reward.

The most common problems that people make when leash training a dog are:

• Speeding up – When your dog pulls on its leash and you move faster with it, your dog will be encouraged to pull even more and run faster because it will get to where your dog wants to go even faster.

• Pulling the leash back - Most dogs will see this as a game and will try to push forward even harder.

• Using a retractable leash – Leash training a dog with a retractable leash is not recommended because your dog can run forward as fast as it wants to and the leash will keep extending. You should use a normal leash while training your dog to walk on a leash and then use the retractable leash later on if you wish, when your dog has learnt how to walk on a leash properly.

Leash training a dog shouldn’t be a chore, it should be an enjoyable experience for both you and your dog. Of course there may be some frustration but with practice and persistence you’ll soon be able to take your dog on walks without a having a leash if you want to and your dog will walk anywhere with you obediently.

Click here to stop your dog's leash problems!