How to Leash Train Your Dog
You just got a new dog and you want to go on a walk, but, unfortunately, it ends up being a total disaster. Your dog bit the leash and pulled, and when your dog wasn’t pulling, you were pulling them. Now you’re searching the internet for “how to train a dog to walk on a leash?” Don’t worry! You can train your dog to be obedient and pleasant while on walks. Here’s a few tips on how to leash train a dog!
When introducing your dog, especially if it’s a puppy, to something new, you need to make sure that there is positive reinforcement with it. So, if you are teaching your dog to walk on a leash for the first time, you’ll want to make sure your dog is not afraid of the collar or leash. Let your dog see and smell the collar and leash first and give them a treat. Repeat a few times until your dog is comfortable. Let the collar and leash touch the dogs back and neck while you are petting them and telling them, Good Dog! Then put the collar and leash on your dog and give them treats and praise as you are putting it on your dog. Do this inside your house so your dog is in a place where they feel safe. Next, play with your dog inside while they are wearing the collar and leash to help your dog continue to see that time in the collar and leash is fun.
Once your dog is comfortable with playing, pick up the leash and try walking with your dog. Walk down a hall in your house and go short distances to begin with. Reward your dog while walking on the leash with a small training treat. At first your dog might get tangled in the leash or get you tangled in the leash switching from one side of you to the other. Once your dog is comfortable being on the leash, you can begin to teach your dog to only walk on one side of you. Start by placing your dog beside you and giving them a treat. Walk a couple steps and reward your dog with a training treat when they walk beside you. Repeat until your dog has learned that you want them to walk by your side. If your dog is not on the correct side of you, step away and give the command again. Stepping away can help reset your dog and give them a better chance at success. Gradually give less treats if your dog is following where you want to go. Feed treats more frequently when training in a new area. If your dog is unsuccessful in a new area then go back to a more familiar area and practice again.
You can move your practice sessions outside once your dog has mastered walking on a leash inside. When you move outside, try and find a place with little to no distractions to practice. Once your dog masters walking with no distractions, start adding distractions such as adding other people into the area or walking down your street. If your dog starts to pull when a distraction happens, don’t pull back. Call your dog so they refocus on you. If your dog likes to lunge at things, try to anticipate those triggers so you can be prepared when someone else is walking a dog or a biker rides by. Try to distract your dog when those things happen by getting your dog’s attention and telling them to sit. Having your dog wait while the distraction passes can help them learn to listen to you without pulling or barking. Reward your dog for behaving when triggers or distractions come around.
Remember, you should not practice for a long time, especially if your dog is a puppy. You will want to end your training sessions on a good note so stop if you feel your dog is getting tired of practicing. However, consistency is vital so make sure to practice every day for 10 minutes at a time up to 3 or 4 times a day. Leash training doesn’t happen overnight so be patient with your dog and yourself.
Leash training your dog is a lot of work, but you’ll be forever grateful you and your dog put in the work. If you would like some help getting started or help solidifying your dog’s leash training, stop by Integrity K9 Academy! We would love to work with your dog and help perfect their leash training. Give us a call at 925-362-0733 to set up a training consultation. During the consultation, you will sit down with a trainer, discuss what you would like to improve in your dog’s training, and create a training plan tailored just for your dog’s needs. We also train with you so that you know how to implement all the things your dog has learned. We look forward to helping you with all your training needs.
