A dog that is left on a leash without being taken for walks together always becomes a problem for both the dog and the owner. When it comes time to take the dog for a walk, owners often become anxious and wonder how to leash train their dog. To begin with it is best to make sure that both you and your dog understand the basic principles of dog walking before attempting to teach your puppy to walk on a leash. There are several dog training tricks that can be used to teach the dog to walk properly and he will enjoy learning new things as well.
One of the most important dog training ideas for both you and your puppy is that you must start walking in the same direction as your puppy. It is a natural tendency for puppies to want to go in the direction in which they are going. If you are going to walk with your puppy in the front and he goes in the back then you should always start in the same direction. In addition, it is important to start in the same direction for everyone if at all possible. This will eliminate the need for asking, “are you going in that direction?”
Another useful tip on how to leash train a puppy is to never let him gain dominance in any walk with you. This includes having him pull, push or even haul you around. If he does this, he is reinforcing his position as the leader so he will not do it when you are not around. This will give the dog the idea that he needs your approval to accomplish the walk. It is not his fault if you are busy so he will eventually learn that his position in the pack means getting your attention in order to walk.
There are many different training exercises that you can do to reinforce the concept of walking with a loose leash walking. One such exercise is called the Texas Method where you place a five pound leash on the dog and attach a head collar. You then instruct your dog to stay by your side and walk forward until he hits the end of the leash and then retract his legs. You repeat this several times. After about ten repetitions you will find that your dog will be ready to walk with you without pulling on the leashes.
You will need to be patient if you wish to teach your dog these new learned skills. He will take time to get the idea of walking with a loose leash down so be prepared to be his owner for quite a while. It is important that you praise him when he is doing good behavior so that he knows what is expected of him.
The reward system is a great tool that is used by most dog training books and DVDs. The dog must know that if he performs a command correctly he will be rewarded. Leash training can be highly frustrating if you are trying to correct a wrong behavior but are not getting results. As soon as he performs the action correctly reward him. This way your dog will understand that if he is going to follow commands he must receive positive reinforcement for it.
One other method that is effective in teaching a dog to behave properly while you are out walking is using a head halter. A head halter or dog harness has an extra strap that goes around the dog’s chest and is attached to a harness that fits around the dog’s neck. It is easy for the dog to slip out of the harness and grab a hold of your leg. Once he does that praise him and then give him the appropriate correction. Once your dog understands that if he grips your leg he is not going to get caught, he will try to avoid it all the time. With consistent training this will reduce many of the mishaps that occur while outside with the dog.
If you have a large dog that likes to go on walks every day, consider buying a small backpack that you attach to the front of your dog’s collar. The dog will wear it every time you take him for a walk. This training method works well when he is on short walks where he isn’t pulling you along. Your dog will learn to stay put without pulling and this will eliminate some of the behavior problems he might be experiencing. There is no reason to let your dog go on walks that you don’t feel like he is attending. With these methods you will be training him for life and eliminating the problems he might be experiencing.
