Leash Training Your Pit Bull Terrier: Dog Training Advice

As a loving and caring Pit Bull owner, you will undoubtedly
spend a lot of your time in training your dog. You will probably
do some crate training, obedience training, maybe even agility
training. But, one of the most enjoyable things you can do for
your Pit Bull is leash training. He may not think very highly of
it at first, but once he has the hang of it, your outside time
with him will be much more enjoyable for you both. Leash
training is also an important step in training your Pit Bull for
shows, if that is your ultimate goal.

Most experts recommend that you begin leash training your Pit
Bull when he is around six or seven weeks old. Usually at this
age, he will have a better attention span, and will be up for
walks with you.

When you first start walking with your Pit Bull puppy, you may
want to allow the puppy some freedom at first, so that he can
explore his area and play. The training at this time will be
teaching your Pit Bull puppy to stay with you during your walk,
and come when you call him. By letting the puppy explore, and
then calling his name, he will learn that you want him to come
back to you. It is important to praise and reward your Pit Bull
puppy when he does come when you call him. Some trainers will
use treats to get the puppy to follow them at first. Due to his
short attention span, you shouldn’t expect this to work for
long. You should give the puppy a treat, and let him go play,
then try again a little later. By using treats and rewards, and
being patient, your Pit Bull puppy will catch on fairly quickly.

When your Pit Bull puppy has mastered the walk without a leash,
and coming to you when you call him, you can probably begin
training him on a lead. Most veterinarians will recommend
starting with a nylon collar before trying a choker collar. Most
of the time, the choker collar isn’t needed, unless you have a
very strong willed Pit Bull.

Usually the best place to start leash training is your own
backyard. The Pit Bull puppy is probably already very familiar
with this area now, so he will be less focused on exploring, and
more on training. You also don’t have to worry about other
animals on the scene, as you would at a park or local walking
track.

Again, when you have the collar on and are ready to begin, bend
down and offer a treat to get your Pit Bull puppy to come to
you. After successfully doing this a few times, start to walk a
little with the puppy on the leash. If your Pit Bull puppy
follows you, praise him and give him a treat. In the event he
doesn’t follow, which often is the case the first time around,
start all over again. Once he starts to follow you without
resistance, try walking a little bit further each time. Your Pit
Bull puppy will soon learn to be lead, without him even noticing
he is doing something he may not want to do.

Continue working with your Pit Bull often, as any training
should be ongoing. The more training and practice your Pit Bull
gets, the more accustomed to the leash he will become.