Teaching your dog how to walk on a leash properly, can be quite a challenge, particularly if you have never done so before. Fortunately, there are some dog training tricks that you can use to make the task much easier. It just takes knowing what to do and taking one small step at a time.
Dogs learn best by being shown. Therefore, the more you can demonstrate your ability to walk your dog properly, the more it will try to do so. This is why it’s important to train your dog in an area away from your home, in a controlled environment, such as a fenced in yard. If your dog remains uncertain of your ability to walk it properly on a leash, it will most likely develop an attitude of fear and start to pull.
When teaching your dog how to walk on a leash, it’s essential that you control its pace. You want to get it used to moving in a certain way. Don’t let it drag along behind you or gallop along beside you; it needs to move in a forward motion. Also, it needs to be taught where it’s okay to stop. If you’re not a hundred percent sure of where this should be, try running errands and observing your dog for a few days. Pay attention to how it behaves when you take these steps.
You’ll want to start out with short distances, such as a few yards. The key to training your dog effectively on a leash is to get it to match your pace. So, initially you’ll want to build up its confidence. That means consistently taking short, simple steps when you walk with it. As it becomes more comfortable with each new step, you can increase the length of your steps.
When you start to think of how to teach your dog down by walking, don’t focus on the actual act of walking. Instead, focus on getting your dog to heel and stay down. Keep in mind that you want to teach your dog this, not how to heel. All it needs to do is heal whenever you lead it into a position where it has to walk.
Teaching your dog to heel is similar to teaching him or her how to heel. All you have to do is take a hand and gently guide your dog’s rear towards the ground. Then, as soon as your dog moves forward, do the same. Do not rush your dog, or it will get confused. Give your dog time to catch up with you.
Now, you can begin to use the idea of how to teach your dog down by walking by leaning on your heel. You should be in the same position with your dog as the dog is with you, in order for the dog to learn how to heel. Your dog will begin to understand that when you put your weight behind him while you are walking, he must heal. Once your dog understands this, he should try to stay in that position whenever you take your dog for a walk.
Another method for teaching your dog down is using the concept of modeling. By modeling your dog’s behavior after you, he or she will understand that behavior that worked when you were a dog owner. Modeling your dog’s behavior after you will make him or her feel like a dog that you own. The next time you take your dog for a walk, you will notice a different behavior from your dog. If you continue to use these methods, your dog will quickly learn how to heel and stay down.
