How To Teach A Dog To Walk On A Leash? Dog Training Dogtrainingeasy 2 Comments

How To Teach A Dog To Walk On A Leash

To let dogs walk on a leash is something that requires patience in training. Some dogs have bad behavior while you walk them on a street. They sometimes jump out of nowhere which frustrates many dog keepers. Using a leash will result in a good walk behavior, with proper training.We offer you some tips in teaching your dog to walk on a leash on this post.

What is the best leash for dogs?

Before going through the leash training process,make sure to buy a suitable leash for your dog.Go for non-extendable leash up to 6-feet long rather than the other way round.An extendable leash can make training more difficult. It is more suitable for dogs playing at the park.

When you choose to use a loose leash, adding up a collar is necessary. It tightens whenever the dog tries to pull you out.Do not worry. It won’t choke or harm your fur buddy’s neck.

Some More To Bring

Try not to forget the dog treats! Most dog training methods involve rewards to motivate the pet to do better. Pick a dog treat that is perfect for a walk and has a strong smell to attract your pet. You may consider the following treats only intended for leash training:

• Cut meats or freeze-dried liver into pea-sized pieces. This is to avoid overfeeding and promote cost-effectiveness.
• Vegetable and fruit treats are also the best choice. Just avoid those inedible seeds and others not good for dogs.

Always keep treats in your left pocket for immediate training.

The Leash Training Method

After preparing what is needed, we can proceed to the following steps to train a dog with a leash. Let’s get it to unleash!

1. Use a Command

Choose dog-friendly phrases to give commands toyour pet.In order to get the attention of your dog,you must make a sound and let him familiarize it. Use a single word like “come” or “stop”, which is easier to understand.

Repeat saying the command every time you walk your dog and then give him a treat once he obeys. You will notice a change after a few sessions, as the dog will come over obediently.

But remember, puppies only have a short span of attention to keep the training time short. It may exhaust the pet when done extreme.

2. Do Short Walk Indoors

Start using the commands during a short walk with your dog.For sure, the pet already knows the commands on this stage of training.

A dog that is completely untrained can start inside the house or at the backyard with little distraction. Wear its leash on during the session. Twice a five-minute walking session is sufficient in a day.

Give a treat and praise to reward the pet’s eagerness to follow.The treat must be put on the ground next to the keeper’s left foot. In that way, the dog learns to stay near its owner. The next time, the keeper may toss the treat over the dog’s nose. Do it alternatively.

3. Practice Outside

When you feel confident enough that your dog can follow walking-on-leash instructions,you may take him for outdoor walks. It will be more challenging as your dog may encounter many distractions. Tendencies are your dog may go after something while on a walk and may act aggressively. Make a cue sound while standing very still in holding the leash. Once the dog calms, give him a treat.

Keep the first walks short. Be aware of the things around that may catch your dog’s attention. Bear in mind the excited feeling of your dog in seeing new things and expect a worse kind of behavior along the way. You may encounter the following troubles:

• Pulling behavior

Sometimes even a well-trained dog has this behavior, especially when something excites him. There are additional tools intended for this behavior like head halters. With a leash, you need not drag the dog in the opposite direction. Commands are powerful in this situation. 

• Attacking behavior

We cannot avoid some things that may trigger your dog’s attacking behavior on the streets. Keep a distance between the target and your dog to prevent fights. Alter its attention with a treat.

• Barking behavior

Lack of exercise is the main reason for the dog’s barking behavior. Walking your pet on a leash often will reduce the said behavior.

4. Increase Walk Durations

Increase the walking on a leash session gradually, like 10-minutes instead of five. Doing it every day helps the dog to easily follow instructions. Let it be part of your pet’s exercise routines to benefit its overall well being.

You may apply punishments cautiously during this stage. Keep in mind the true essence of punishment for dogs – it is to discourage their bad behavior.It should not be done in every walk.

Some days your dog will ignore commands but do not tolerate that kind of action.Apply the paying-no-attention technique until the dog catches up to you. Resume the walk afterward.

5. Reduce Treats

Treats can sometimes spoil the pet, especially during a long-run training session. You can notice when the pup is used to it. Some dogs will show bad habits just to have treats and it is up to the owner to correct that behavior.

Going through the leash training will let you reduce the number of times you give treats to the pet. The dog will demand a greater amount of treat sooner. Your remedy could be increasing the time of walks between giving treats.In this way, the cost of buying treats will also be lessened. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, a leash is important to keep a dog calm while walking on the streets.No one ever knows when something might attack our pets or vice versa during the time of the walk.A good leash secures your dog from harm thereof.Walking a dog on a leash might be tough at first, so the training methods above help.

Go and look for the best leash for dogs in the market. By then, you can start taking your pet outdoors for a walk.Invite your friends to walk their fur babies too.

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Tags: Dog Training