Dog Training Techniques - Train Your Dog To Walk With A Leash

It is very important for every dog and dog owner for your dog to be trained to walk on a leash. Walking about with an untrained dog can be quite uncomfortable and embarrassing to the dog owner. Although it is always better and easier to train your dog to walk with a leash when it is still a puppy, leash training is still possible at any age. The following steps will help you to get your dog used to a leash in very little time.

First get him used to wearing a collar. Don't start with a retractable leash, save that for when the dog is leash trained. Start with a leather or nylon leash of about 5 feet and a collar. Put it on him and don't take it off even if he is pulling at it. If he manages to pull it off, you can buy a Martingale collar - they don't pull off easily. You can introduce the leash when he has settled down and gotten used to the collar.

Now choose a plain area with little distraction to start his leash training. You need a few commands top help him key into every part of a walk. At the beginning of the walk, hold the leash, call his name and say 'let's go'. As you start walking, watch out for his pulls. When he pulls you in a direction, say 'no' and give the leash a little tug and stop. Don't move until he gives a little slack in the leash. Then say 'let's go' and start moving again. This is to teach him to walk without pulling. If he pulls you in another direction pull tug on the leash until he starts moving in the direction you want.

At the begriming of his leash training, let him walk only on one side of your body to reduce confusion. Be very strict. Absolutely do not allow him to pull you in any direction you don't want him to go. This will make him know that the only way to take a walk is to obey you without pulling on the leash. Every time he moves in the direction you want, give him a treat - could be something as simple as saying 'good boy'. Rewards will reinforce the behavior.

When you need to stop at any point in the walk pull the leash a little and say 'wait' then 'sit'. You might have to stop for people, traffic lights etc on your walks. Have some energetic play with him so he'll be a bit tired before every walk. This will make him easier to handle.

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