Leash Training Made Easy

Spring is here and that means nicer weather and more opportunities for taking your dog for walks. If your dog walks amount to a jog in the park for your dog with you in tow, this article is for you!

Change Your Direction

Abruptly changing the direction you’re heading in may be enough distraction to make your dog understand that he needs to follow you. Every time your dog begins to run or walk ahead of you, quickly turn around and begin walking the other way. When he obeys and returns to your side, be sure to follow up with praise and/or a small dog treat. Its pointless to scold your dog, catching him off guard and redirecting his attention is far more effective.

Your first couple of walks may actually be just a few steps, back and forth. Don’t get discouraged, repeat the process as many times as necessary until your dog understands what you want him to do. The goal is to have your dog following you, and paying attention to the direction you’re headed in. Be generous with your praise and rewards and repeat this process several times. Your dog will slowly give up the tug of war game he’s been playing with your.

If you already have a dog training collar that offers both positive and negative tone reinforcement, now would be a great opportunity to use it.

Always Be Consistent

Now that you’ve made up your mind to leash train your dog, always be consistent. Be consistent in your application of rules so as not to confuse your dog. Treat your leash walking exercises as you would any other obedience training session.

Initially its best if you stick to familiar places, like your backyard or driveway, to practice your new leash training skills. After your dog has mastered his new leash walking skills, you can experiment with longer walks in unfamiliar places.

Keep Up the Good Work

As with all dog training, teaching your dog to walk properly on a leash is an ongoing process. It’s not something your dog will probably “get” in just one session. Even after your dog has learned what is expected, you’ll still want to reinforce the behavior by occasionally using the distraction technique given above.

Be lavish with your praise! Dogs instinctively want to please their owner and love being rewarded and praised for obeying. Be generous with your praise and offer rewards when your dog is doing the right thing; he will be encouraged to continue payinging attention to you.