Teaching a puppy to accept his collar and leash

Learning to walk on a collar and leash is the basis of all
further training for every puppy. Until the puppy has learned to
accept the collar and leash, it will be impossible to perform
any additional training.

The first step toward getting the puppy to accept the collar and
leash is to find a collar that fits the dog properly. It is
important that the collar be neither too light or too heavy,
neither too thin nor too thick. A collar that is too light for
the dog can be easily broken, while a collar that is too heavy
may be uncomfortable for the puppy to wear. It is also important
that the width of the color be appropriate for the size of the
dog.

Determining the proper length of the collar is relatively easy.
Simply wrap a tape measure or a string lightly around the dog’s
neck to get an accurate measurement. It is important that the
tape measure not be tight, just slightly snug.

Most collars are sized in two inch increments, so you may have
to round up to get a properly sized collar. For instance, if the
dog has a 13″ neck, you would buy a 14″ collar, and so on .
After you have purchased the perfect collar, the next step is to
put it on the dog and allow him to wear it around the house. Do
not be dismayed if the dog whines, paws at the collar or
otherwise tries to remove it. This is normal, and the dog should
not be punished for it. It is best to simply ignore the dog and
allow him to work out his own issues with the collar.

The dog should be allowed to wear the collar 24 hours a day for
a number of days to get used to the feel of the collar on his
neck. After the dog is accepting the collar well, it is time to
start introducing the leash. A lightweight leash works best for
this process. Simply attach the leash to the dog’s collar and
allow him to walk around the house with it. The dog should of
course be supervised during this process in order to make sure
he does not get the leash caught on anything. Getting the leash
caught or snagged could frighten the dog and create a leash
phobia that will be hard to overcome.

In the beginning, the leash should only be attached for a few
minutes at a time. It is important to attach the leash at happy
times, such as playtime, meal time, etc. It is important for the
dog to associate the leash with happy things. When the leash is
not attached to the dog, it is a good idea to keep it near the
dog’s food and water bowls. The dog should be encouraged to
investigate the leash, and to discover that it is not something
to fear.

After the dog is used to walking around with the leash attached,
take the end of the leash in your hand and just hold it. Allow
the dog to walk around. If the dog bumps into the end of the
leash, just allow the dog to react and move as he desires. The
goal of this exercise is to simply allow the dog to get used to
the feel of the collar and the leash.

It is important to allow the puppy plenty of time to get used to
wearing the collar and leash before ever attempting to lead the
puppy. It is best to perform this exercise in the home or other
environment where the puppy feels safe and secure. After the
puppy is comfortable and content walking on the leash in the
home, it can slowly be taken outside. It is best to make these
outside trips very short at the beginning, and to lengthen them
slowly over time. Some puppies take to the collar and leash
immediately, while others may require some additional time.