Trying to Leash Train Your Dog? Here Are Some Helpful Tips!
Leash training, although it takes a little bit of patience and effort, is extremely important for you and your dog. Without it, you can expect to deal with leash pulling, where your dog will be leading and pulling you all over the place. Your dog may experience choking, from pulling so hard and frequently from these walks. You may experience getting tangled in the leash and tripping over your dog as he passes in front of you. All of this makes for an unpleasant dog walking experience. It breeds frustration for both you and your furry friend and can put a strain on your relationship. By now you may have started working or researching on how to leash train your dog, so here are some helpful tips to help you reach success!
Leash Training Essentials
Leash: ideally a four foot leash is perfect to teach your dog to stay by your side. If its a taller dog, 3 inches will suffice. You do not want a retractable leash.
Collar or Harness: when deciding between the two you’ll want to consider if your dog tends to do a lot of pulling. If so, a harness is better to prevent neck injury but harnesses are overall more uncomfortable for a dog, especially if you’ll leave it on for a long period of time.
Treats: Nothing is quite as motivating as a treat to your dog. Be sure to pick out one that gets your pup excited.
Start training Indoors before taking things Outdoors
This might seem like an odd tip but it really does help. You may have noticed just how distracted your dog gets when you bring him outside. Its a whole new area for him to explore. All new sights, smells and sounds. Thats often why they pull on the leash, they are excited to sniff around and explore. Inside the home, it is familiar territory, you can remove all distractions such as toys and you can have their attention.
Never Pull on the Leash
Pulling on your dogs leash is dangerous. Their necks are sensitive and jerking and pulling can lead to choking, strangulation, hypothyroidism or more. Pulling is often a sign that your dog needs more exercise. Try to spend an hour or so before training, to let your dog run and play and get some of their energy out, to make training easier.
Be sure Your Dog is Used to the Collar and Leash
If your dog is not used to the collar and leash, it will be another distraction when trying to train them. Try leaving the collar and leash on at home for short periods of time and always give treats and toys.. This will give positive reinforcements to your dog that the leash and collar represents treats and play time.
The Sooner you Train Your Dog the Better
You can start leash training at about 4-6 weeks old and it could take another 4-6 weeks of training for your puppy to master the new skill. Older dogs may take longer to learn, especially if you have to work on fixing bad habits like pulling, and barking but don’t give up. No matter the age or stubbornness, your dog can be leash trained.
If you find yourself struggling to accomplish this on your own, consider hiring a professional dog trainer. We do all of our training within the comfort of your home. By doing the training at your home we train where training is most needed. Every part of our training is done with you, so you know exactly what we are doing. Unlike lengthy “board and trains” or “doggy boot camps” we show you our techniques every step of the way. We start inside and slowly move our way outside. I have always said “if you can’t get your dog to listen inside, how do you expect to get them to listen outside with a whole world of distractions?” We want to prove our training inside, at the door, in the driveway, in front of the house, in the neighborhood, then out in the real world. Our final lesson (exam) is a field trip to somewhere like the beach, a park, or a dog bar.Whether you have a new puppy, an older dog, a rescue, or even a troubled dog showing aggression, we can help. Contact us today to schedule your FREE IN-HOME CONSULTATION and start your journey to be free from the leash!Follow us on facebook for more information!Related: Top 5 Tips For Training Your Dog
December 22, 2021 - By : Justin Ingram
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